Treatment of carotid body tumors.

Twenty patients presenting with 23 carotid body tumors compose this study group. Eleven patients underwent resection of 14 tumors, while nine patients either refused resection or were unresectable. There was one tumor recurrence following resection. Of the patients not having resection, none have experienced morbidity or death. While surgical excision remains the mainstay of treatment for carotid body tumors, those patients not undergoing resection can survive for long periods.