The current status of chemodectomas.

An analysis of the current status of chemodectomas including the report of two additional cases is presented. One patient with a rare malignant intrathoracic tumor failed to survive palliative pneumonectomy. To our knowledge, this represents the seventeenth histologically proved case. The other patient had the more common carotid body tumor which was managed satisfactorily by subadventitial carotid excision. Comments are made regarding the clinical recognition and treatment of chemodectomas in general. Historical, anatomic, physiologic, and pathologic features are emphasized.