Medical therapies for Glomus Tumor – pro
Glomus jugulare tumors are rare, slow-growing, hypervascular tumors that arise within the jugular foramen of the temporal bone but have been reported in other areas. They are are a part of a group referred to as paragangliomas, whichare more common in carotid body, glomus vagale, and glomus tympanicum. They are more common in in women in the fifth and sixth decades of life.
Medical therapeis are limited by rarity of this cancer and lack of studies. Alpha-blockers and beta-blockers can be used for, especially preoperatively to stabilize blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmias. Successful treatment of pulmonary metastases with etoposide (VP-16) and cisplatin has been described. A case report described successful use of a somatostatin analogue (octreotide) to control somatostatin receptor–positive tumors. Radiosurgery is useful for tumors in locations that threaten nearby organs. Chemotherapy or newer biologicals may have a place but experience is limited, most of it being case reports of gemcitabine (Gemzar) and cisplatin.
Havekes B, van der Klaauw AA, Hoftijzer HC, Jansen JC, van der Mey AG, Vriends AH. Reduced quality of life in patients with head-and-neck paragangliomas. Eur J Endocrinol. Feb 2008;158(2):247-53.
Semaan MT, Megerian CA. Current assessment and management of glomus tumors. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Oct 2008;16(5):420-6.
Sharma MS, Gupta A, Kale SS, Agrawal D, Mahapatra AK, Sharma BS. Gamma knife radiosurgery for glomus jugulare tumors: Therapeutic advantages of minimalism in the skull base. Neurol India. Jan-Mar 2008;56(1):57-61.
Mark Trombetta et al, Paraganglioma: A Potentially Challenging Tumor ONCOLOGY. Vol. 22 No. 3
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