title: Radiation therapy for life-threatening huge laryngeal hemangioma involving pharynx and parapharyngeal space.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adult hemangiomas are rare, slowly progressing vascular tumors. Potential complications include laryngeal involvement or massive tumor burden.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case of recurrent, bulky laryngeal hemangioma involving the parapharyngeal space is presented herein. The clinical course and treatment are described, and a series of MRI studies are compared to demonstrate the treatment response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 35-year-old woman presented with progressive hoarseness, neck fullness, and intermittent dyspnea caused by a bulky laryngeal hemangioma. Steroid therapy had a limited response. Radiation therapy with a total dose of 40 Gray (Gy) in 20 fractions successfully relieved her symptoms. Image studies after therapy revealed moderate tumor regression. The patient showed no serious complications during the next 2 years of follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiation therapy may be effective in intractable and function-threatening laryngeal hemangiomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China. ccjjhh@kmu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Chun-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ka-Wo
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chih-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D007830:Larynx / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome