Description

Esthesioneuroblastoma (es-thee-zee-o-noo-row-blas-TOE-muh) is a rare type of cancer that begins in the upper part of the inside of the nose, known as the nasal cavity. Esthesioneuroblastoma is also called olfactory neuroblastoma.

This type of cancer usually affects adults. But it can occur at any age. Esthesioneuroblastoma often begins as a growth of cells, called a tumor, inside of the nose. You can grow up and enter in the nasal sinuses, the eyes and the brain. It can also spread to other parts of the body.

People with esthesioneuroblastoma can lose their sense of smell. You may have bleeding from the nose. And they might have trouble breathing through their nose as the tumor grows.

Esthesioneuroblastoma treatment usually includes surgery. Often, radiation, and chemotherapy are part of the treatment.

Symptoms

Esthesioneuroblastoma symptoms include:

  • The loss of the sense of smell.
  • Frequent nasal bleeding.
  • Difficulty breathing through the nose.

As the cancer grows, it can cause pain in the eyes, loss of vision, ear pain, and headaches.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your health care team if you have lasting symptoms that worry you.

Causes

Experts have not found the exact cause of esthesioneuroblastoma. In general, cancer occurs when the cells of achieving changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do. The changes that tell the cells to make many more cells quickly. The changes give the cell the ability to keep living when healthy cells naturally die. This makes too many cells.

The cells may form a mass called a tumor. The tumor can grow to invade and destroy healthy body tissue. At the time, cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body.

Risk factors

Health professionals have not found many risk factors for esthesioneuroblastoma. This type of cancer can occur at any age. But it is more common in adults.

Complications

Complications of esthesioneuroblastoma may include:

  • The cancer grows in the tissues and organs. Esthesioneuroblastoma can grow and reach the sinuses, the eyes and the brain.
  • The spread of the cancer, known as metastasis. Esthesioneuroblastoma can spread to other parts of the body, such as lymph nodes, bone marrow, lungs, liver, skin, and bones.

Diagnosis

A esthesioneuroblastoma diagnosis may involve:

  • Physical exam. A member of your health care team can take a history of your symptoms and examine your eyes, nose, head, and neck.
  • Endoscopic examination. A health professional can put a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope, in the nose. The tube has a built-in camera that allows the healthcare professional to look at cancer and see how big it is.
  • Imaging tests. Imaging tests make pictures of the inside of the body. You can display the size of the cancer, exactly where it is and whether it has spread. Imaging tests may include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET).
  • The removal of a sample of tissue for testing, also called a biopsy. A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab. A biopsy can be done by putting a special tool in the nose to remove a small piece of the cancer. This procedure can often be done in a health care professional for the office.

The diagnosis of esthesioneuroblastoma can be difficult. It is rare, and can be seen as other types of cancer that occur in the head, neck, or nose. The test can show if the cancer esthesioneuroblastoma and can give other information about the cancer that will help you in the development of a treatment plan.

Treatment

Esthesioneuroblastoma treatment usually involves surgery to remove the cancer. Other treatments include radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Treatment for esthesioneuroblastoma usually requires a team of experts from different specialties. The team might include:

  • The surgeons operating on the nervous system, known as neurosurgeons.
  • Head and neck surgeons.
  • The medical uses of radiation to treat the cancer, known as oncologists.
  • The doctors use drugs to treat the cancer, known as medical oncologists.

If the person with esthesioneuroblastoma is a child, the team may also include specialists in pediatric surgery and oncology.

Surgery

The type of surgery depends on where the tumor is and how big it is. The surgery can include:

  • Extraction of the part of the tumor that is in the nose. This is usually done by using a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope. The tube has a camera that allows the surgeon to see the cancer. Special surgical instruments passed through the endoscope to help eliminate the cancer and nearby tissue.
  • Open the skull to reach the tumor, known as a craniotomy. This procedure involves removing a small piece of skull. That allows the surgeon to remove the tumor in the brain.

Complications of surgery can include spinal fluid leaks from the nose, infection, and problems with vision.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources. People with esthesioneuroblastoma often have radiation therapy after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that may remain in the head and neck.

If surgery is not possible, radiation therapy may be used alone or with chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses strong drugs to kill cancer cells. In people with esthesioneuroblastoma, chemotherapy may be used with radiation therapy after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that remain.

Alternative medicine

There is No alternative medicine treatments that can cure the esthesioneuroblastoma. But the complementary and alternative medicine therapies that can help with the side effects of treatment. Talk with your health care team about your options.

Therapies that might help you during the treatment of cancer include:

  • Acupuncture.
  • The aromatherapy.
  • Hypnosis.
  • The massage.
  • Music therapy.
  • Relaxation techniques.
  • The Tai chi.
  • Yoga.

Coping and support

A esthesioneuroblastoma diagnosis can feel scary. With time, you will probably find good ways to cope with their diagnosis. Until you find what works for you, consider trying to:

  • Learn enough about your cancer to make decisions about your care. To know more about your esthesioneuroblastoma, ask your healthcare provider for the details, such as the type and degree. Ask where to find good sources of information about treatments. To know more can help you feel better about making treatment decisions.
  • Talk with other people who have cancer. Talk with other people through what you go through might help you. In contact with the American Cancer Society or the National Cancer Institute to find out about support groups in your area and online.
  • Talk to someone about your feelings. Find a friend or family member who listens well. Or speak with a member of the clergy or a counselor. Ask your health care team, talk to a counselor or other professional who works with cancer survivors.
  • Keep your friends and family nearby.Your friends and family can provide the necessary support during your cancer treatment. When you tell people about your esthesioneuroblastoma diagnosis, the more likely it is to get a lot of offers of help. Think about what you might want to help. For example, you might want someone to talk to if you're feeling low. Or you might need rides to treatment or help with the preparation of meals.

Keep your friends and family nearby. Your friends and family can provide the necessary support during your cancer treatment.

When you tell people about your esthesioneuroblastoma diagnosis, the more likely it is to get a lot of offers of help. Think about what you might want to help. For example, you might want someone to talk to if you're feeling low. Or you might need rides to treatment or help with the preparation of meals.

Preparing for your appointment

Start by making an appointment with a doctor or other health care professional if you have symptoms that concern you. You may be referred to an ear, nose, and throat specialist.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

  • Be conscious of any thing you need to do ahead of time. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there is anything that you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet.
  • Write down any symptoms you have, including those that do not seem to be related to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
  • Write important personal information, including major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all the medicines, vitamins, and supplements you are taking and the dose.
  • Have a family member or friend. Sometimes it can be very difficult to remember all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who goes with you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
  • Write questions to ask their health care team.

For esthesioneuroblastoma, some questions may include:

  • What is likely causing my symptoms?
  • What are other possible causes?
  • What tests do I need?
  • Is my condition likely to disappear or to be of long duration?
  • What is the best course of action?
  • What else can I do?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I manage together?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

Be sure to ask all the questions that you have.

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare provider is likely to ask several questions, such as:

  • The symptoms come and gone, or has remained constant?
  • How bad are the symptoms?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
Symptoms and treatment of Esthesioneuroblastoma