The treatment of glomus tumors in the temporal bone by megavoltage radiation

Forty-five patients with glomus tumors in the temporal bone region were treated by radiation therapy. Only three patients had recurrence or progression of tumor during the follow-up period of 3 to 23 years (median, 10 years). No patient died from uncontrolled glomus tumor. The majority of patients noted symptomatic relief after radiation, but objective neurologic deficits usually remained unchanged or showed only partial improvement. The most commonly used radiation dose was 3500 cGy tumor dose delivered in 15 fractions in 3 weeks by a homolateral wedge technique from megavoltage radiation apparatus. This dose is less than that usually recommended for glomus tumors. From these results and from review of the literature, it is suggested that a moderate radiation dose of 3500 cGy in 3 weeks is effective treatment for glomus tumors, even if complete tumor involution does not occur.