Contrasting behavior of endolymphatic sac tumors: a report of 2 cases and literature review

Background: Endolymphatic sac is an established source of low-grade neoplasms, posing a difficult problem in local tumor control. Case Description: Two cases of endolymphatic sac tumors are described in detail with regard to their clinical presentation and radiological findings. Both cases had diametrically opposite clinical outcomes in spite of repeated surgical interventions. A case with severe paraneoplastic syndrome and death after "cancer cachexia" is described. Conclusions: Although endolymphatic tumors are known for their low-grade aggressiveness, in occasional cases, they may behave in a highly malignant behavior. The present communication highlights the contrast in clinical outcome and makes the clinician cautious of this special subgroup of tumors with a highly aggressive nature. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.