These are very vascular tumors with blood supply from the external carotid artery and internal carotid artery. Most of these tumors are slow growing. These tumors are much more common in women. In addition, an endocrine work-up should be performed for catecholamines. A 24 hour urine collection for vanillylmandelic acid, metanephrines, and total catecholamines should be performed to assess for catecholamine secretion.
Treatment involves medical therapy, surgical therapy, and radiation therapy.
Alpha and beta blockers are given before surgery to block possible lethal blood pressure lability and arrhythmias of the heart. The complications of surgery are persistent leakage of cerebrospinal fluid from the ear, and also damage to one of the nerves controlling face movement, sensation or hearing. Even though the surgery may be successful glomus jugulare tumors are somewhat problematic because they have a high recurrence rate and may require multiple operations.