title: Hypopharyngeal paraganglioma with a paraneoplastic neurologic syndrome: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We report an extremely rare case of hypopharyngeal paraganglioma that was accompanied by a paraneoplastic neurologic syndrome (PNS).
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical, radiological, and histopathologic findings of the patient are presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 49-year-old woman presented with a history of progressive asthenia of the lower extremities persisting for 2 months. She also experienced numbness and sensory disturbance of the left lower limbs, 2 epileptic seizures, and constipation during the period. Clinical and radiological evaluations suggested the diagnosis of encephalomyelitis in combination with a left hypopharyngeal mass lesion. The patient underwent surgical excision of the lesion, which subsequently resolved her symptoms. Postoperative pathology was consistent with a paraganglioma. There was no evidence of local recurrence or distant metastasis of the tumor on recent follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To the best of our knowledge, our patient represents the third reported case of hypopharyngeal paraganglioma, and the only one to have a paraneoplastic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
authors.forename: Huiqin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Zhibin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guangqian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xing
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000379:methods; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D020361:Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Nervous System / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D035583:Rare Diseases; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones