A carotid body tumor (also called paraganglionoma or chemodectoma) is a tumor found in the upper neck at the branching of the carotid artery. They arise from the chemoreceptor organ (paraganglion) located in the adventitia of the carotid artery bifurcation.

Hereditary paraganglioma-pheochromocytoma (PGL/PCC) syndromes are characterized by paragangliomas (tumors that arise from neuroendocrine tissues distributed along the paravertebral axis from the base of the skull to the pelvis) and pheochromocytomas (paragangliomas that are confined to the adrenal medulla). Sympathetic paragangliomas cause catecholamine excess; parasympathetic paragangliomas are most often nonsecretory. Extra-adrenal parasympathetic paragangliomas are located predominantly in the skull base and neck (referred to as head and neck paragangliomas [HNPGLs]) and sometimes in the upper mediastinum; approximately 95% of such tumors are nonsecretory. In contrast, extra-adrenal sympathetic paragangliomas are generally confined to the lower mediastinum, abdomen, and pelvis, and are typically secretory. Pheochromocytomas, which arise from the adrenal medulla, typically lead to catecholamine excess. Symptoms of PGL/PCCs result from either mass effects or catecholamine hypersecretion (e.g., sustained or paroxysmal elevations in blood pressure, headache, episodic profuse sweating, forceful palpitations, pallor, and apprehension or anxiety). The risk for developing metastatic disease is greater for extra-adrenal sympathetic paragangliomas than for pheochromocytomas. Additional tumors reported in individuals with hereditary PGL/PCC syndromes include gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), pulmonary chondromas, and clear cell renal cell carcinoma.