Current trends in carotid body tumors: Comprehensive review

Abstract

Background: Carotid body tumor (CBT) is a rare neoplasm that has been increasingly studied during the last decades; nevertheless, it continues to be a topic of controversy. This review aims to provide an update on the general features of CBT and particularly review different treatment strategies and primary outcomes. Methods: Data for this literature review were identified by PubMed, Scopus, and Medline. 93 articles from the initial search were included, as well as 28 relevant studies utilizing the snowballing method; totaling 121 articles about CBT. Results: Main features such as anatomy, embryology, genetics, clinical presentation, and diagnosis of CBT are presented, followed by evidence of different treatment strategies such as radiotherapy, preoperative embolization, vascular resection, and vascular reconstruction. Main complications are also discussed. Conclusion:This review summarizes the most critical aspects regarding CBT. Future studies should compare different treatments to attain the best surgical results with lower morbidity rates.

Case report: Cardiac arrest during carotid body tumor resection indicating carotid sinus hypersensitivity

“…While complete surgical resection remains the mainstay of CBT treatment and the only definitive cure for CBT (4), tumor manipulation is associated with significant morbidity due to the nature of its anatomic structure and location. The rate of surgery-related complications has been reported to be in the range from 20 to 27% (5). Herein, we report on a female patient with bilateral CBTs who underwent surgical manipulation complicated by cardiac arrest during her first staged tumor resection.…”

High Altitude Carotid Body Tumors Growth During active Surveillance

“…8 Normally, the choice of treatment will depend on several factors such as the patient's comorbidities, surgical risk, size of the tumor, tumor involvement with the carotid vessels, tumor's localization and extension, and multicentricity. 4 In the past, these tumors have been considered highly aggressive with a high potential for malignancy; however, nowadays, it has been proven contrariwise, with a low metastasis incidence in less than 5% of the cases. [9][10][11] For some patients, significant comorbidities, high surgical risk, or own preferences have resulted in a strategy for observation.…”

Experiencia quirúrgica de tumor del cuerpo carotídeo en un hospital de segundo nivel

“…En México ha sido más evidente esta relación en poblaciones que habitan sobre los 2,000 m.s.n.m., con la hipótesis de ser resultado de la estimulación hipóxica crónica 8,9 . La presentación familiar se encuentra hasta en el 10% de los tumores, mientras que aquellos cuya etiología se adjudica a la altitud se clasifican como «hiperplásicos», considerándose como los más comunes 9,10 .…”