title: Hemangiopericytoma of neck extending to craniovertebral junction treated by surgery, pre- and postoperative radiotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a rare tumor of uncertain malignant potential arising from mesenchymal cells with pericytic differentiation. It accounts for 3-5% of soft tissue sarcomas, and 1% of vascular tumors. The treatment of choice is a primary wide surgical resection with adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) reserved for cases of incomplete removal.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of a 24-year-old female with a rapidly growing, highly vascular swelling in nape of the neck extending deep into the craniovertebral (CV) junction accompanied by extradural/intraspinal, and intracranial involvement. An incisional biopsy revealed a cellular, highly vascular tumor with HPC-like features. The patient received preoperative RT, which reduced both the size and vascularity of the lesion, facilitating subsequent near complete resection. Further postoperative RT resulted in a good clinical outcome, with no tumor recurrence observed at 2 postoperative years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HPC of the soft tissues of neck accompanied by deep extension to the CV junction is uncommon. A high index of suspicion is required to diagnose these cases. which may be treated with preoperative RT (to reduce the lesion size/vascularity), aggressive surgical resection, followed by postoperative adjunctive radiation treatment as well.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, Odisha, India.
authors: Sudhansu Sekhar
authors: SS
authors: Mishra
authors: Souvagya
authors: S
authors: Panigrahi
authors: Srikant
authors: S
authors: Das
authors: Satyabhusan
authors: S
authors: Senapati
keywords: Craniovertebral junction; hemangiopericytoma; nape of the neck; preoperative radiotherapy; wide surgical resection
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