Multiple malignant paragangliomas. A case report.

The extra-adrenal paraganglia may be divided into branchiomeric (parasympathetic) and paraxial or para-aortic (sympathetic) networks. A patient is described with two synchronous branchiomeric paragangliomas--a carotid body tumour (glossopharyngeal) and a cardiac chemodectoma (vagus). Both tumours were locally invasive and therefore, by definition, malignant.