Carotid Paraganglioma: A Case Report: Paragangliome Carotidien : À Propos d’Un Cas

Mbango-Ekouta Noel Désirée; Onana Yannick; Mouangue-Mbondjo Louise; Bila Nguemekane E; Sobngwi Eugène; Doumbe Jacques Narcisse

doi:10.5281/zenodo.19070534

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Abstract

Carotid paragangliomas (CPs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors, accounting for less than 1% of head and neck neoplasms. Arising from the carotid body, these tumors are often benign but may, in some cases, progress to a malignant form. They commonly present as a painless cervical mass. This report describes a case of carotid paraganglioma incidentally discovered during a routine examination, with a focus on its clinical and diagnostic features. A 60-year-old female patient presented for routine medical follow-up. Clinical examination revealed a left carotid bruit, prompting further investigations. Doppler ultrasound, cervical MRI, and PET/CT identified a hypervascularized mass located at the left carotid bifurcation. Complete surgical excision was performed, confirming a non-secreting paraganglioma. Carotid paragangliomas highlight the importance of systematic clinical examination and rigorous diagnostic evaluation. Surgical excision remains the treatment of choice despite technical challenges and the risk of postoperative neurological complications.

Keywords

Carotid paraganglioma, neuroendocrine tumor, cervical imaging, cervical surgery, postoperative complications paragangliome carotidien, tumeur neuroendocrine, imagerie cervicale, chirurgie cervicale, complications postopératoires.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Mbango-Ekouta Noel Désirée, Onana Yannick, Mouangue-Mbondjo Louise, Bila Nguemekane E, Sobngwi Eugène, & Doumbe Jacques Narcisse. (2026). Carotid Paraganglioma: A Case Report: Paragangliome Carotidien : À Propos d’Un Cas. HEALTH SCIENCES AND DISEASE, 27(4), 103–106. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19070534

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References

1. Boedeker CC, Ridder GJ, Schipper J. Paragangliomas of the head and neck: diagnosis and treatment. Familial Cancer. 2005; 4(1):55-9. Doi: 10.1007/s10689-004-7541-1.
2. Offergeld C, Brase C, Yaremchuk S, et al. Head and neck paragangliomas: clinical and molecular genetic classification. Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology. 2015; 8(1):13-27. doi:10.3342/ceo.2015.8.1.13.
3. Gale N, Michaels L, Luzar B, et al. Current review on paraganglioma (glomus tumor) of the head and neck. Head and Neck Pathology. 2016;10(3):290-305. doi:10.1007/s12105-016-0745-0.
4. Kruger AJ, Niemann CU, Kobayashi E, et al. Paraganglioma: clinical aspects and molecular genetics. Endocrine. 2018;60(2):185-90. doi:10.1007/s12020-018-1667-1.
5. Lee JH, Barich F, Karnell LH, et al. National Cancer Data Base report on malignant paragangliomas of the head and neck. Cancer. 2002; 94(3):730-7. doi:10.1002/cncr.10229.
6. Pacheco-Ojeda L. Malignant head and neck paragangliomas: natural history and management options. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. 2001; 124(3):392-4. doi:10.1067/mhn.2001.113421.
7. Buckley AR, Donnelly LF, Lyburn ID. Head and neck paragangliomas: radiologic-pathologic correlation. Radiographics. 2000; 20(6):1605-32. doi:10.1148/radiographics.20.6.g00nv071605.
8. Taïeb D, Kaliski A, Boedeker CC, et al. Head and neck paragangliomas: 10 years of progress in understanding their genetics, clinical features, and management. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2014; 99(6):2430-40. doi:10.1210/jc.2013-4420.
9. Fishbein L, Merrill S, Fraker DL, Cohen DL. Managing malignant paragangliomas: challenges in care and progress in therapy. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America. 2018; 47(3):457-84. doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2018.04.008.
10. Havekes B, Corssmit EP, Jansen JC, Romijn JA. Update on clinical aspects and management of paragangliomas of the head and neck. Neuroendocrinology. 2009;90(2):206-13. doi:10.1159/000224255.
11. Taïeb D, Pacak K. Imaging of endocrine tumors: From Benign to Malignant Labeled Techniques. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2018; 59(4):545-548. doi:10.2967/jnumed.117.200451.
12. Netterville JL, Jackson CG, Miller FR, Wanamaker JR, Glasscock ME. Vagal paraganglioma: A review of 46 patients treated during a 20-year period. Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. 1998; 124(10):1133-40. doi:10.1001/archotol.124.10.1133.
13. Grégoire V, Lefebvre JL, Licitra L, et al. Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: EHNS-ESMO-ESTRO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Annals of Oncology. 2010;21(Suppl 5):v184-6. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdq185.
14. Shaha AR, Shah JP, Loree TR. The management of head and neck paragangliomas. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. 1993;109(5):948-54. doi:10.1177/019459989310900520.
15. Rao AB, Koeller KK, Adair CF. Paragangliomas of the head and neck: Radiologic-pathologic correlation. Radiographics. 1999; 19(6):1605-32. doi:10.1148/radiographics.19.6.g00nv071605.
16. Baysal BE, Willett-Brozick JE, Lawrence EC, et al. Prevalence of SDHB, SDHC, and SDHD germline mutations in clinic patients with head and neck paragangliomas. Journal of Medical Genetics. 2002; 39(3):178-83. doi:10.1136/jmg.39.3.178.
17. Astuti D, Latif F, Dallol A, et al. Gene mutations in SDHB are associated with disease in inherited and sporadic paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma. American Journal of Human Genetics. 2001;69(1):49-54. doi:10.1086/321282.
18. Mannelli M, Lenders JWM, Pacak K, Eisenhofer G. The genetics, diagnosis, and management of paragangliomas and pheochromocytomas. Endocrine Reviews. 2016; 37(6):515-572. doi:10.1210/er.2016-00124

References

1. Boedeker CC, Ridder GJ, Schipper J. Paragangliomas of the head and neck: diagnosis and treatment. Familial Cancer. 2005; 4(1):55-9. Doi: 10.1007/s10689-004-7541-1.

2. Offergeld C, Brase C, Yaremchuk S, et al. Head and neck paragangliomas: clinical and molecular genetic classification. Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology. 2015; 8(1):13-27. doi:10.3342/ceo.2015.8.1.13.

3. Gale N, Michaels L, Luzar B, et al. Current review on paraganglioma (glomus tumor) of the head and neck. Head and Neck Pathology. 2016;10(3):290-305. doi:10.1007/s12105-016-0745-0.

4. Kruger AJ, Niemann CU, Kobayashi E, et al. Paraganglioma: clinical aspects and molecular genetics. Endocrine. 2018;60(2):185-90. doi:10.1007/s12020-018-1667-1.

5. Lee JH, Barich F, Karnell LH, et al. National Cancer Data Base report on malignant paragangliomas of the head and neck. Cancer. 2002; 94(3):730-7. doi:10.1002/cncr.10229.

6. Pacheco-Ojeda L. Malignant head and neck paragangliomas: natural history and management options. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. 2001; 124(3):392-4. doi:10.1067/mhn.2001.113421.

7. Buckley AR, Donnelly LF, Lyburn ID. Head and neck paragangliomas: radiologic-pathologic correlation. Radiographics. 2000; 20(6):1605-32. doi:10.1148/radiographics.20.6.g00nv071605.

8. Taïeb D, Kaliski A, Boedeker CC, et al. Head and neck paragangliomas: 10 years of progress in understanding their genetics, clinical features, and management. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2014; 99(6):2430-40. doi:10.1210/jc.2013-4420.

9. Fishbein L, Merrill S, Fraker DL, Cohen DL. Managing malignant paragangliomas: challenges in care and progress in therapy. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America. 2018; 47(3):457-84. doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2018.04.008.

10. Havekes B, Corssmit EP, Jansen JC, Romijn JA. Update on clinical aspects and management of paragangliomas of the head and neck. Neuroendocrinology. 2009;90(2):206-13. doi:10.1159/000224255.

11. Taïeb D, Pacak K. Imaging of endocrine tumors: From Benign to Malignant Labeled Techniques. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2018; 59(4):545-548. doi:10.2967/jnumed.117.200451.

12. Netterville JL, Jackson CG, Miller FR, Wanamaker JR, Glasscock ME. Vagal paraganglioma: A review of 46 patients treated during a 20-year period. Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. 1998; 124(10):1133-40. doi:10.1001/archotol.124.10.1133.

13. Grégoire V, Lefebvre JL, Licitra L, et al. Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: EHNS-ESMO-ESTRO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Annals of Oncology. 2010;21(Suppl 5):v184-6. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdq185.

14. Shaha AR, Shah JP, Loree TR. The management of head and neck paragangliomas. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. 1993;109(5):948-54. doi:10.1177/019459989310900520.

15. Rao AB, Koeller KK, Adair CF. Paragangliomas of the head and neck: Radiologic-pathologic correlation. Radiographics. 1999; 19(6):1605-32. doi:10.1148/radiographics.19.6.g00nv071605.

16. Baysal BE, Willett-Brozick JE, Lawrence EC, et al. Prevalence of SDHB, SDHC, and SDHD germline mutations in clinic patients with head and neck paragangliomas. Journal of Medical Genetics. 2002; 39(3):178-83. doi:10.1136/jmg.39.3.178.

17. Astuti D, Latif F, Dallol A, et al. Gene mutations in SDHB are associated with disease in inherited and sporadic paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma. American Journal of Human Genetics. 2001;69(1):49-54. doi:10.1086/321282.

18. Mannelli M, Lenders JWM, Pacak K, Eisenhofer G. The genetics, diagnosis, and management of paragangliomas and pheochromocytomas. Endocrine Reviews. 2016; 37(6):515-572. doi:10.1210/er.2016-00124

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Carotid Paraganglioma: A Case Report

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