Carcinoid apudoma arising in a glomus jugulare tumor: review of endocrine activity in glomus jugulare tumors

Abstract

Previous reports of endocrine activity of glomus jugulare tumors have been of pheochromocytomas but not carcinoid apudomas. This paper is to alert the otolaryngologist to the presence of carcinoid apudomas in glomus jugulare tumors. A patient with a long history of explosive diarrhea, facial flushing, and violent headaches, the symptom of carcinoid syndrome, was cured after removal of his large glomus jugulare tumor. The diagnosis of carcinoid syndrome is made with a good history and confirmed with a 24 hour urine collection for 5 Hydroxy indole acetic acid (5 Hiaa). a series of patients treated at the Johns Hopkins Hospital for glomus jugulare tumors is reviewed for the presence of endocrine activity and the literature on endocrine active glomus jugulare tumors is presented. Preoperative evaluation for the presence of both pheochromocytoma and carcinoid apudoma is recommended for all patients with glomus jugulare tumors.