Update on olfactory neuroblastoma

Olfactory neuroblastomas are uncommon malignancies that arise from olfactory receptor cells located high in the nasal cavity. Accurate diagnosis plays a crucial role in determining clinical results and guiding treatment decisions. Diagnosis can be a major challenge for pathologists, especially when dealing with tumours with poor differentiation. The discovery of several molecular and immunohistochemical markers would help to overcome classification difficulties. Due to the paucity of large-scale studies, standardisation of diagnosis, treatment and prediction of outcome remains a challenge. Surgical resection by endoscopic techniques with the addition of postoperative irradiation is the treatment of choice. In addition, it is advisable to consider elective neck irradiation to minimise the risk of nodal recurrence. Molecular characterisation will help not only to make more accurate diagnoses but also to identify specific molecular targets that can be used to develop personalised treatment options tailored to each patient. The present review aims to summarise the current state of knowledge on histopathological diagnosis, the molecular biology and management of this disease.

Upright proton therapy for esthesioneuroblastoma: a single-institution experience

Aim

This study presents an analysis (efficacy and toxicity) of outcomes in patients with esthesioneuroblastoma after pencil beam proton therapy with a fixed beamline in the upright position.

Background

Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is an extremely rare tumor of sinonasal area located in critical proximity to vital structures. Proton therapy (PT) is often considered the optimal radiation treatment for head-and-neck tumors, although of limited availability. Upright PT delivered using fixed pencil beamline and rotating chair is a fairly promising option.

Methods

This is a single-center experience describing the outcomes of PT in 14 patients with ENB treated between January 2016 and October 2022; half of the cases had a history of previous irradiation. The therapy was applied using a fixed pencil beamline with 6D-chair for positioning. The median dose was 63 GyRBE (total range 48-70 GyRBE; based on 1.1 RBE multiplier for protons) with 2.0 GyRBE per fraction. The mean gross tumor volume was 109.5 cm3 (17.1-257.7 cm3). Patient demography, pathology, treatment parameters and toxicity data were analyzed. Radiation-induced reactions were assessed according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v 4.0.

Results

The median follow-up time was 28 months. The 1- and 2-year locoregional control rates constituted 100% and 88.9%, respectively; the median duration of local control was 52 months. The 1- and 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates constituted 92.9% and 75.0%, respectively; the median PFS duration was 52 months. The 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates constituted 92.9% and 84.4%, respectively. Two patients died of non-cancer-related causes (coronavirus-induced pneumonia) and 1 patient died of tumor progression. All patients tolerated PT well without any treatment gaps. Serious late toxicity reactions included glaucoma in 1 patient and cataract in 2 patients, in over half a year since irradiation.

Conclusion

PT with upright design of the unit affords promising outcomes in terms of disease control and toxicity rates in ENB, a sinonasal tumor of complicated localization.

A case of olfactory neuroblastoma that presented with olfactory dysfunction after a COVID-19 diagnosis

Background

Olfactory dysfunction is associated with conditions such as respiratory tract infections, trauma, sinonasal diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, there was an increase in patients complaining of olfactory dysfunctions. Many studies have reported that olfactory dysfunction is associated with coronavirus disease 2019 and that the prognosis is usually favorable.

Case presentation

Recently, we experienced a patient with olfactory dysfunction, which was aggravated after a coronavirus disease 2019 diagnosis. The patient had no other medical history, and their nasal endoscopic examination demonstrated no abnormal lesions. Through a psychophysical olfactory function test, the patient was diagnosed with anosmia. A paranasal sinus computed tomography demonstrated sclerotic bony changes in the cribriform plate area. A paranasal sinus magnetic resonance image study found an approximately 3.5 cm-sized olfactory neuroblastoma in the anterior cranial fossa.

Conclusions

We suggest clinicians remember the possibility of underlying intracranial lesions in patients with olfactory dysfunction even during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and understand the guidelines of magnetic resonance imaging when evaluating olfactory dysfunction patients. Furthermore, we recommend that clinicians pay attention to the history of olfactory dysfunction before the symptoms progress and making a coronavirus disease 2019 diagnosis.

A Review on Esthesioneuroblastoma

Background Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare, aggressive and malignant sinonasal tumour. This tumour makes for a very interesting study because ever since its mention in medical literature, although quite a lot of research has been put into it, a lot is yet to be known about it. Aim To summarize the available literature & document an article on the contemporary practises in the management of ENB. Methods A comprehensive literature review was done using Google Scholar and PubMed database with the key words: "esthesioneuroblastoma", "olfactory neuroblastoma", "Kadish" and "Hyams". Articles published in English were used. Articles published till April 2021 were reviewed. Conclusion ENB has a diverse histological appearance. This tumour has a bimodal age distribution without any gender predilection. Prompt identification and treatment is required for a favourable outcome and requires close collaboration of radiology, pathology, and rhinology. Staging, management and prognosis are determined by regional involvement in non-metastatic cases due to its proximity to neurological structures and locally destructive nature. Immunohistochemistry is a must for accurate diagnosis. Uni-modality of treatment has high chances of local recurrence. Multi-modality provides good results even in advanced stage. A combination of surgery and radiotherapy seems to be the optimum approach to treatment. The exact role of chemotherapy in treatment protocols is still unclear. Cervical lymph node metastases are commonly studied, however its management in patients who present without apparent nodal involvement is not yet clear. An extended follow-up period is recommended in all patients of ENB patients.

Ectopic Esthesioneuroblastoma of the Sphenoclivus: A Rare Entity

Esthesioneuroblastoma is a rare malignant neoplasm of oflactory neuroepithelium and usually located at the olfactory cleft at superior nasal cavity. Ectopic localization of esthesioneuroblastoma is even rarer and usually posed with a diagnostic dilemma and delay in the diagnosis and management, We report a rare case of ectopic esthesioneuroblastoma of the sphenoclivus with the presentation of intermittent unilateral epistaxis, intermittent intractable headache without anosmia. Nasal endoscopy findings showed a pulsatile mass at the anterior face of the sphenoid sinus with extension posteriorly towards the clivus region and occupying the floor of the sphenoid sinus. Endonasal transclival endoscopic excision of tumour was performed which involved otorhinolaryngology surgeon and neurosurgeon with intraoperative navigation imaging and frozen section. The histopathological findings was esthesioneuroblastoma. Due to its rarity and unusual presentation, the diagnosis of ectopic esthesioneuroblastoma is difficult and can be misdiagnosed with the other type of malignancy. Therefore, the histopathological result is important in confirming the type of tumour and can lead to the next step of management.

Improved survival following surgery and radiation therapy for olfactory neuroblastoma: analysis of the SEER database

Background

Olfactory Neuroblastoma is a rare malignant tumor of the olfactory tract. Reports in the literature comparing treatment modalities for this tumor are limited.

Methods

The SEER database (1973-2006) was queried by diagnosis code to identify patients with Olfactory Neuroblastoma. Kaplan-Meier was used to estimate survival distributions based on treatment modality. Differences in survival distributions were determined by the log-rank test. A Cox multiple regression analysis was then performed using treatment, race, SEER historic stage, sex, age at diagnosis, year at diagnosis and SEER geographic registry.

Results

A total of 511 Olfactory Neuroblastoma cases were reported. Five year overall survival, stratified by treatment modality was: 73% for surgery with radiotherapy, 68% for surgery only, 35% for radiotherapy only, and 26% for neither surgery nor radiotherapy. There was a significant difference in overall survival between the four treatment groups (p < 0.01). At ten years, overall survival stratified by treatment modality and stage, there was no significant improvement in survival with the addition of radiation to surgery.

Conclusions

Best survival results were obtained for surgery with radiotherapy.

Ectopic olfactory neuroblastoma: report of four cases and a review of the literature

Our objective is to present a short series of four rare cases of ectopic olfactory neuroblastoma. Our methods present four case reports of ectopic olfactory neuroblastoma and a review of the literature for management and treatment of this disease. The results indicate short case series reports of ectopic olfactory neuroblastoma arising from the anterior ethmoidal sinuses, the nasopharynx, the lateral nasal wall and the floor of the nose. The discussion focuses on likely origins of ectopic olfactory neuroblastoma, its clinical features and management. We conclude that ectopic olfactory neuroblastoma is a rare disease. Treatment principles are the same for non-ectopic disease and guided by extension into adjacent structures such as the orbit or anterior cranial fossa and usually involves surgery with or without adjuvant radiotherapy.

Posttreatment prognosis of patients with esthesioneuroblastoma

OBJECT

There is no Class I evidence to guide the appropriate management of esthesioneuroblastoma (EN). Most data currently guiding treatment come from small- or modest-sized series gathered at individual centers that have concluded that surgery with radiotherapy is the preferred treatment. In this study, the authors summarize the published literature on treatment outcomes in patients with EN. The objective was to ascertain what variables predict prognosis in these patients and to determine the relative effect of different therapies.

METHODS

The authors identified 205 published studies containing treatment outcomes for surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or multimodal treatment. Using Kaplan-Meier analysis, the survival of patients who received surgery was compared with that in those who received surgery and radiotherapy. Additionally, Kadish staging was compared with low- and high-grade Hyams criteria to assess for subgroup prognostic significance in survival differences.

RESULTS

Nine hundred fifty-six patients met the inclusion criteria, with a median follow-up time of 3 years. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated no difference in survival between patients who underwent surgery alone and those who underwent surgery plus radiotherapy at 5 years (78 vs 75%) or 10 years (67 vs 61%, respectively) (p = 0.3). Univariate analysis demonstrated worse survival in cases involving Kadish Grade C tumors, Hyams Grade 3 and 4 tumors, and in patients older than 65 years of age. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that Hyams Grade 3 and 4 lesions carried significant risk (proportional hazard = 4.83, p < 0.001) with 5- and 10-year survival of 47 and 31%.

CONCLUSIONS

A biopsy should always be obtained in cases suspected of EN because histology is a strong prognostic indicator and will help guide appropriate treatment. Unimodal surgery and combined surgery/radiotherapy appear to be of equivalent efficacy with respect to survival in patients with EN. Chemotherapy should be considered in high-grade EN.

Esthesioneuroblastoma metastatic to the thoracic intradural and extradural space

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Ethesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare tumor of the olfactory epithelium that has been shown to metastasize mostly to the cervical lymphatics, with only infrequent spread to other locations. We report a rare case of ENB characterized by recurrence and distant metastasis to the T7-T8 intradural and extradural space.

PURPOSE

To report a rare case of recurrent ENB metastatic to the thoracic intradural and extradural space.

STUDY DESIGN/SETTING

Case report with a review of the literature.

METHODS

A 64-year-old man with recurrent ENB presented with chronic pain in the neck, shoulder, and back. His neurologic exam was normal. Computed tomography of the chest showed no pulmonary metastasis and a high-attenuation spinal canal mass at T8 was noted on magnetic resonance imaging. A laminectomy at T7-T8 was performed for resection of a large epidural mass. A tumor was seen penetrating through the dura, and a midline durotomy was performed for resection of a large intradural mass. Frozen section and permanent stains were consistent with metastatic ENB.

RESULTS

The postoperative period was uneventful, and included pain management and physical therapy, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. The patient remains free of spinal recurrence 2 years after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Metastasis of ENB to the spinal column is rare, and of those instances, 80% are localized to the cauda equina. Recurrent ENB metastatic to the thoracic intradural and extradural space is extremely rare, and was successfully treated with surgical resection.

A primary sellar esthesioneuroblastomas with unusual presentations: a case report and reviews of literatures

The development of an esthesioneuroblastoma outside to the region in which olfactory epithelium exists is extremely rare. Only nine cases were reported in the previous literatures. The author presents a 40 years-old man with ectopic esthesioneuroblastoma in sella turcica. In contrast to the previous nine cases, our case presented unusual presentations-CSF rhinorrhea and meningitis. Endoscopic transphenoid approach with removal of tumor and repair of dura defect followed by radiotherapy offered a good result in this case. Moreover, differential diagnosis and the origin of the ectopic esthsioneuroblastoma would be discussed.

Primary olfactory neuroblastoma originating from the inferior meatus of the nasal cavity

Olfactory neuroblastoma is a rare malignant tumor of the nasal cavity arising from the olfactory neuroepithelium. It usually presents as a polypoid mass high in the nasal vault including the cribriform plate, superior turbinate, and superior portion of nasal septum. An 89-year-old man visited our office with symptoms of occasional left nasal bleeding and obstruction. On the endoscopic examinations, polypoid mass with bleeding tendency was observed in the left inferior meatus. Biopsy was performed, and the diagnosis of olfactory neuroblastoma was confirmed by histopathologic examination and immunohistochemical staining. The tumor was resected via medial maxillectomy, and the final pathologic report established that it was primary olfactory neuroblastoma that occurred from the inferior meatus. In this report, a literature review was performed on the pathologic characteristics and prognosis of the tumor, and possible hypotheses that olfactory neuroblastoma has originated from the inferior meatus were discussed.