Razavi Journal of Medicine

Razavi Journal of Medicine

Malignant Carotid Body Tumor: A Case Report and Comprehensive Literature Review

Document Type : Case Report/Series

Authors
Hassan Ravari 1
Reza Sahebi 1
Reza Asadi 2
1 Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
2 MD, Ph.D of Epidemiology, Zamen Salamati Research Company, Mashhad, Iran
10.30483/rijm.2025.254621.1402
Abstract
Background: Malignant carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare neoplasms arising from the chemoreceptor cells at the carotid bifurcation. They are often misdiagnosed and can lead to serious complications if not treated timely.
 
Case presentation: A 44-year-old female presented with a mass in the neck, persisting for six months, without any accompanying symptoms, such as pain or difficulty swallowing. Physical examination revealed a firm 3 x 4 cm mass on the right side of her neck, near the mandible. Doppler ultrasound identified a semi-vascular mass (2.5 x 3.5 cm) at the right carotid bifurcation, further confirmed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT), indicating vascularity and causing the widening of the carotid arteries. The mass received blood supply from small arterioles stemming from the external carotid artery. Surgical exploration also demonstrated a firm, fibrous mass classified as a grade-2 tumor according to the Shamblin classification. The tumor was successfully excised after cauterizing small arterial branches from the internal and external carotid arteries.
 
Conclusion: The evaluation of this case revealed the significance of early diagnosis and surgical intervention in managing malignant CBTs, as they can lead to serious complications. A multidisciplinary approach that includes imaging and surgical expertise is crucial for successful outcomes.
 
Keywords
Doppler ultrasound
Carotid body tumor
Malignant tumor

Acknowledgements: We acknowledge our colleagues at the hospital and operating room for collaboration in management and data collection.

 

Availability of data and materials: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

 

Conflicts of interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

 

Consent for publication: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient to publish this report in accordance with the journal’s patient consent policy.

 

Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was approved by the local ethical committee for research and the confidentiality of patient data was kept and data was presented without disclosure of any personal data of the presented case.

 

Financial disclosure: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

 

Author contributions: Hassan Ravari conducted conceptualization, Reza Asadi performed supervision and validation, and Reza Sahabi carried out investigation and methodology. The authors conducted writing the original draft and editing, as well as reviewing the manuscript.

 

Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Razavi Journal of Medicine
Volume 13, Issue 4
Autumn 2025
Pages 67-77