Introduction
A carotid body tumour is a growth that develops in the neck where the main carotid artery branches. They are relatively rare. They occur most commonly in middle age and can affect both males and females. Malignant or cancerous change is very rare, but they can grow and cause pressure on both the carotid artery and surrounding structure including nerves and the airway. They are sometimes referred to as a paraganglioma.
Causes
In the majority of patients, the exact cause of a carotid body tumour is unknown. They are more common in people who live at high altitude and may have genetic tendency with an increased occurrence in family members.
Symptoms
Most carotid body tumours cause little in the way of symptoms. They are most commonly detected as a non-painful lump on the side of the neck.
As they grow carotid body tumours may cause symptoms including:
- Hoarse voice.
- Swallowing difficulties.
- Paralysis of the tongue.
- Drooping eyelid / vision changes.
Tests
Carotid body tumours can be detected on ultrasound, CT or MRI scans. All 3 tests are utilised to diagnose and plan treatment.
Diagnosis
Physical examination will usually demonstrate a palpable lump in the neck. CT scan is the recommended modality to image the lesion to determine the nature of the lump and plan treatment.
Treatment
Smaller lesions can be monitored closely looking for any increase in size.
Generally surgical removal is required to remove the lesion to prevent it growing to a size that starts to cause symptoms. The smaller the carotid body tumour the easier it is to remove surgically and there is less risk of complications following surgery. Carotid body tumours occasionally either arise from or envelope nerves in the neck. This may increase the risk of nerve damage post-surgery which may cause a hoarse voice or swallowing difficulties.