Neck Vessels: Carotid body tumor

What is it?

ajronline.org

Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare neoplasms that develop within the adventitia of the medial aspect of the carotid bifurcation. The carotid arteries are on either side of the neck and supply blood to the front aspect of the brain, which deals with thinking, speech, personality, sensory, and motor functions reside.   Carotid body tumors are also known as chemdectoma or paragangliaoma and are found in the upper portion of the neck.   Carotid body tumors can occur in children; however, these tumors are noted most commonly in the middle age portion of the population.  CBTs are noted to be inherited in 10-50% of the cases.




Forms of CBTs

The following 3 different types of carotid body tumors (CBTs) have been described in the literature:

• Familial
• Sporadic
• Hyperplastic

ajronline.org

"The sporadic form is the most common type, representing approximately 85% of carotid body tumors (CBTs)." "The familial type (10-50%) is more common in younger patients." "The hyperplastic form is very common in patients with chronic hypoxia, which includes those patients living at a high altitude (> 5000 feet above sea level), like those patients living in New Mexico, Peru, and Colorado."  ^"The hyperplastic form is also seen in patients with COPD or cyantoic heart disease."
(All information from:http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1575155-overview#aw2aab6b2b1aa )


Treatments

medical.toshiba.com

Carotid body tumors are not deadly, but would need to be removed.  CBTs are aggressive and need to be removed multiple times surgically.  Surgery is not the only option because sometimes patients will also use radiation therapy to rid of the tumors. The turnout of surgery is very good; however, with every surgery case there is always a risk.



More information on this topic can be found at:
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/disorders/vascular/carotid_body_tumors.aspx (or)
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1575155-overview#aw2aab6b2b1aa

Ashli