Treatment decision and estimation of growth of head and neck paragangliomas

Abstract

Purpose: Head and neck paragangliomas are slow growing tumors where observation has become more widely accepted. Tumor growth rate as well as predictors of increased tumor growth were analyzed with the goal to identify factors to better predict disease progression and counsel patients.

Materials and methods: Multi-institutional retrospective cohort study from 2011 to 2020.

Results: 130 head and neck paragangliomas in 125 patients were analyzed. 38 were observed (30.4%), 16 radiated (12.8%), and 71 underwent surgery (56.8%). Surgical patients were significantly younger (p = 0.038) and with more genetically mediated paragangliomas (p = 0.026). Significantly more patients were asymptomatic in the observation group (p = 0.005). Of the 39 observed tumors, 43.6% (n = 17) grew with a tumor doubling time of 5.67 years. More than half of the observed paragangliomas had no growth. When examining symptoms postoperatively and at follow-up, the surgical cohort had significantly more worsening symptoms (p = 0.007) and new cranial neuropathies (p = 0.031).

Conclusions: Head and neck paragangliomas have slow growth rates if they grow at all. Patients in the surgical cohort had more clinical symptoms at presentation and worsening postoperative symptoms.

Keywords: Cranial neuropathy; Growth rate; Head and neck; Paraganglioma; Wait and scan.