Diagnosis and evaluation of head and neck paragangliomas. Clinical and biological manifestations

Head and neck paragangliomas are slow-growing tumors and the initial symptoms are sometimes non-specific, often hampering and delaying diagnosis. These tumors may be asymptomatic, even when they have reached a considerable size. Symptomatology is highly varied in terms of anatomical location, stage (degree of invasion, local involvement and the presence of metastasis) and catecholamine secretion (pheochromocytoma), which not only produces a series of systemic manifestations but also serves as a guide to the search for specific genetic diseases, of which these tumors may be a component. Thus, in addition to identifying their anatomical location, excess catecholamine production must be assessed and genetic diagnosis must be completed before surgery is performed.