Treatment of
glomus jugulare tumors with radiosurgery has grown in acceptance since the first reported treatment in 1995, but only a few centers have reported their experiences with limited follow up time. We report our experience with stereotactic radiosurgery in nine patients with ten
glomus tumors. All patients were treated either with frame based LINAC or Cyberknife with doses ranging from 1600 cGy to 2500 cGy. Three patients received no previous
therapy and one patient received additional external beam radiation for concomitant treatment of
carotid body tumors. Patients were then followed for post treatment side effects in addition to change in
tumor size by MRI evaluation. The median clinical follow-up time was 26 months (mean 54 months), median radiographic follow-up was 21.5 months (mean 46 months), with a range from 3 to 126 months. The results from our center demonstrated nine of ten
tumors to be stable in size by MRI exam, and one
tumor which regressed in size. Nine patients had stable neurological symptoms, and one patient experienced transient ipsilateral tongue weakness and
hearing loss, both of which subsequently resolved. Our results continue to support radiosurgery as a suitable form of treatment for
glomus jugulare tumors as evidenced by results from this four and a half year follow-up.