Childhood Esthesioneuroblastoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version

General Information

KEY POINTS

Esthesioneuroblastoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the olfactory bulb.
Signs and symptoms of esthesioneuroblastoma include nosebleeds and the loss of sense of smell.
Tests that examine the nasal cavity are used to help detect (find) and diagnose esthesioneuroblastoma.
Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery).

Esthesioneuroblastoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the olfactory bulb.

The olfactory bulbs are found in the top part of the nasal cavity near the bone that separates the nasal cavity from the brain. The olfactory bulbs connect to the olfactory nerves (nerves that control smell), which pass through small holes in the bone and go to the brain. Esthesioneuroblastoma is also called olfactory neuroblastoma.

Esthesioneuroblastoma affects adults and children. Even though it is very rare, esthesioneuroblastoma is the most common tumor of the nasal cavity in children, especially teens. This summary is about the treatment of children and teens with esthesioneuroblastoma.

Signs and symptoms of esthesioneuroblastoma include nosebleeds and the loss of sense of smell.

These and other signs and symptoms may be caused by esthesioneuroblastoma or by other conditions.

Check with your child's doctor if your child has any of the following:

Change in or loss of the sense of smell.
Blocked nose.
Nosebleeds.
Headache.
Bulging of the eye.
Frequent sinus infections.

Tests that examine the nasal cavity are used to help detect (find) and diagnose esthesioneuroblastoma.

The following tests and procedures may be used:

Physical exam and history : An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including checking for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual. A history of the patient’s health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas of the body, such as the head and neck. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, such as the head and neck or lymph nodes, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
ENLARGE
Computed tomography (CT) scan of the head and neck. The child lies on a table that slides through the CT scanner, which takes x-ray pictures of the inside of the head and neck.
Biopsy : The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer.
The following tests may be done on the sample of cells or tissues that were removed:
- Immunohistochemistry : A laboratory test that uses antibodies to check for certain antigens in a sample of tissue. The antibody is usually linked to a radioactive substance or a dye that causes the tissue to light up under a microscope. This type of test is used to check for certain changes in the cells and to tell the difference between different types of cancer.
- Electron microscopy : A laboratory test in which cells in a sample of tissue are viewed under regular and high-powered microscopes to look for certain changes in the cells.

Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery).

The prognosis (chance of recovery) depends on the following:

Whether the cancer is in the nose only or if it has spread to nearby nasal sinuses, lymph nodes, or to other parts of the body.
Whether the tumor was completely removed by surgery.

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Stages of Esthesioneuroblastoma