CONTEXTO: Tumores do espaço parafaríngeo compreendendo menos de 0,5% dos tumores de cabeça e pescoço. A maioria destes são benignos, sendo a cirurgia necessária para tratamento e algumas vezes para diagnóstico dos pacientes. Apresentamos 26 pacientes tratados cirurgicamente no Hospital das Clínicas da UNICAMP por tumores localizados no EPF SÉRIE DE CASOS: A média de idade foi de 53 anos, sendo que dos tumores 17 (65,5%) eram benignos e, 9 (34,6%) malignos. Enfatizaremos as técnicas cirúrgicas e dados anatomopatológicos observando ainda as recidivas e sobrevida. Tumores neurogênicos (35,3%) e sarcomas de partes moles (44,5%) foram os tumores benignos e malignos mais freqüentes. Os tumores benignos apresentaram mínima morbidade cirúrgica e bom prognóstico, inversamente ao ocorrido com os malignos. A cirurgia é o tratamento de escolha para estes tumores, sendo que os malignos apresentaram pior prognóstico. Com exames de imagem, punção aspirativa por agulha fina (PAAF) ou biópsia aberta, obtivemos diagnóstico pré-operatório em todos os casos.

CONTEXT: Parapharyngeal space tumors comprise less than 0.5% of all head and neck neoplasms.1 The majority of these tumors are benign, but surgery is usually required to establish the diagnosis and treat the patients. We present 26 patients treated surgically for tumors arising in the parapharyngeal space (PPS) at the State University of Campinas Hospital – UNICAMP. CASES SERIE: Of these, 17 (65.5%) had benign and 9 (34.6%) malignant neoplasms. The surgical and pathological data relevant to these cases are highlighted, observing any local recurrence, surgical complications and the five-year survival. Neurogenic tumors and soft tissue sarcomas were, respectively, the most frequent benign (35.3%) and malignant neoplasms (44.5%). Benign tumors accounted for the majority of the cases and involved minimal surgical morbidity with no recurrence during a median follow-up of five years. Malignant tumors had a high rate of recurrence and mortality. Surgery is the treatment of choice for PPS tumors. A knowledge of the anatomy of this site is essential for the safe performance of surgical procedures. Malignant neoplasms have a poor prognosis. Fine needle aspiration was helpful in diagnosis of all tumors.