Clinical management and outcome of head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs): A single centre retrospective study

• Published in: Clinical endocrinology (Oxford) Vol. 101; no. 3; pp. 243 - 248
• Main Authors: Darrat, Milad, Lau, Louis, Leonard, Colin, Cooke, Stephen, Shahzad, Muhammad A., McHenry, Claire, McCance, David R., Hunter, Steven J., Mullan, Karen, Lindsay, John R., Graham, Una, Bailie, Neil, Hampton, Susie, Rajendran, Simon, Houghton, Fionnuala, Conkey, David, Morrison, Patrick J., Johnston, Philip C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2024
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Carotid body; clinical management; Female; Head and neck; Head and Neck Neoplasms - genetics; Head and Neck Neoplasms - pathology; Head and Neck Neoplasms - therapy; head and neck paragangliomas; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Middle ear; Mutation; Neural crest; Octreotide; outcomes; Paraganglioma; Paraganglioma - genetics; Paraganglioma - pathology; Paraganglioma - therapy; Patients; Radiation therapy; recurrence; Retrospective Studies; Somatostatin; Succinate Dehydrogenase - genetics; Treatment Outcome; Tumors; Vagus nerve; Young Adult; clinical management; recurrence; head and neck paragangliomas; outcomes
• ISSN: 0300-0664; 1365-2265; 1365-2265
• DOI: 10.1111/cen.15070

Context Head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs) are rare, usually benign, slow‐growing tumours arising from neural crest‐derived tissue. Definitive management pathways for HNPGLs have yet to be clearly defined. Objective To review our experience of the clinical features and management of these tumours and to analyse outcomes of different treatment modalities. Methods Demographic and clinical data were obtained from The Northern Ireland Electronic Care Record (NIECR) as well from a prospectively maintained HNPGL database between January 2011 through December 2023. Results There were 87 patients; 50 females: 37 males with a mean age of 52.3 ± 14.2 years old (range 17–91 years old). 58.6% (n = 51) of patients had carotid body tumours, 25.2% (n = 22) glomus vagal tumours, 6.8% (n = 6) tumours in the middle ear, 2.2% (n = 2) in the parapharyngeal space and 1.1% (n = 1) in the sphenoid sinus. 5.7% (n = 5) of patients had multifocal disease. The mean tumour size at presentation was 3.2 ± 1.4 cm (range 0.5–6.9 cm). Pathogenic SDHD mutations were identified in 41.3% (n = 36), SDHB in 12.6% (n = 11), SDHC in 2.2% (n = 2) and SDHA in 1.1% (n = 1) of the patients. Overall treatment modalities included surgery alone in 51.7% (n = 45) of patients, radiotherapy in 14.9% (n = 13), observation in 28.7% (n = 25), and somatostatin analogue therapy with octreotide in 4.5% (n = 4) of patients. Factors associated with a significantly higher risk of recurrence included age over 60 years (p = .04), tumour size exceeding 2 cm (p = .03), positive SDHx variants (p = .01), and vagal and jugular tumours (p = .04). Conclusion The majority of our patients underwent initial surgical intervention and achieved disease stability. Our results suggest that carefully selected asymptomatic or medically unfit patients can be safely observed provided lifelong surveillance is maintained. We advocate for the establishment of a UK and Ireland national HNPGL registry, to delineate optimal management strategies for these rare tumours and improve long term outcomes.