Glomus jugulare tumors: effects of radiotherapy.

Twenty glomus jugulare tumors which received x-ray therapy are analyzed. Postirradiation angiography showed persistent tumor vessels and abnormal channels in eight patients. Histologic study of five postirradiation specimens showed that tumor cells persisted after treatment in a significant proportion of the patients. Vascular response was nonuniform and consisted of endothelial hyperplasia and subendothelial hyalinization. Radiotherapy is not always effective in the permanent eradication of the tumor when used as the only modality of treatment in patients with large glomus jugulare tumors. Because of the frequent recurrence after irradiation or surgical resection, a combination of both modalities offers the patient the best probability of cure.