Exploration of the optimal treatment regimes for Esthesioneuroblastoma: a single center experience in China

Clinical outcomes for olfactory neuroblastoma

Background

Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare malignant tumor arising from the olfactory neuroepithelium. The standard of care for ONB is surgical resection; however, detailed treatment protocols vary by institution. Our treatment protocol consists of endoscopic skull base surgery (ESBS) for endoscopically resectable cases and induction chemotherapy followed by craniotomy combined with ESBS for locally advanced cases, with postoperative radiotherapy performed for all cases. Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is performed in unresectable cases. In this study, we evaluate our treatment protocol and outcomes for ONB.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients with ONB was conducted. Outcomes included survival outcomes and perioperative data.

Results

Fifteen patients (53.6%) underwent ESBS, 12 (42.9%) underwent craniotomy combined with ESBS, and 1 (3.6%) received CRT. The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates for all patients were 92.9% and 82.5%, respectively, with a median follow-up period of 81 months. The 5- and 10-year disease-free survival rates were 77.3% and 70.3%, respectively, and the 5- and 10-year local control rates were 88.2% and 80.2%, respectively. Patients undergoing ESBS demonstrated a significantly shorter operating time, period from operation to ambulation, hospitalization period, and less blood loss than those undergoing craniotomy combined with ESBS.

Conclusion

Our treatment protocol was found to afford favorable outcomes. Patients who underwent endoscopic resection showed lower complication rates and better perioperative data than those who underwent craniotomy combined with ESBS. With appropriate case selection, ESBS is considered a useful approach for ONB.

International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Sinonasal Tumors

BACKGROUND

Sinonasal neoplasms, whether benign and malignant, pose a significant challenge to clinicians and represent a model area for multidisciplinary collaboration in order to optimize patient care. The International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Sinonasal Tumors (ICSNT) aims to summarize the best available evidence and presents 48 thematic and histopathology-based topics spanning the field.

METHODS

In accordance with prior International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology documents, ICSNT assigned each topic as an Evidence-Based Review with Recommendations, Evidence-Based Review, and Literature Review based on the level of evidence. An international group of multidisciplinary author teams were assembled for the topic reviews using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses format, and completed sections underwent a thorough and iterative consensus-building process. The final document underwent rigorous synthesis and review prior to publication.

RESULTS

The ICSNT document consists of four major sections: general principles, benign neoplasms and lesions, malignant neoplasms, and quality of life and surveillance. It covers 48 conceptual and/or histopathology-based topics relevant to sinonasal neoplasms and masses. Topics with a high level of evidence provided specific recommendations, while other areas summarized the current state of evidence. A final section highlights research opportunities and future directions, contributing to advancing knowledge and community intervention.

CONCLUSION

As an embodiment of the multidisciplinary and collaborative model of care in sinonasal neoplasms and masses, ICSNT was designed as a comprehensive, international, and multidisciplinary collaborative endeavor. Its primary objective is to summarize the existing evidence in the field of sinonasal neoplasms and masses.

Comparing the role of different treatment modalities in locoregionally advanced olfactory neuroblastoma: The 20-year clinical experience of a single institution

BACKGROUND

The clinical value of different treatment modalities, especially systemic chemotherapy (CT) in patients with locoregionally advanced olfactory neuroblastoma (LA ONB) remains unclear.

METHODS

Patients with LA ONB from 2000 to 2020 at our center were collected retrospectively. The entire cohort was divided into combined systemic and local therapy (CSLT) versus local therapy (LT) groups (grouping method 1), and the same cohort was divided into neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) versus non-NAC groups (grouping method 2). CSLT group included patients treated with CT + LT. LT group included patients treated with surgery (SG), radiotherapy (RT), concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), or any combination of the above methods. LT group was further divided into mono-modality local therapy (MOLT) group and multi-modality local therapy (MULT) group. MOLT group included patients treated with RT alone or SG alone. MULT group included patients treated with SG + RT/CCRT, or CCRT alone. NAC group included patients treated with NAC + LT ± adjuvant chemotherapy (ADC). Non-NAC group included patients who received LT ± ADC.

RESULTS

A total of 111 patients with LA ONB were included. The median follow-up was 80.2 months (range, 2.1-254.9). The 5- and 10-year OS rates were 70.2% and 61.3%, respectively. In univariate analysis, patients treated with NAC (n = 43) had significantly better overall survival (OS) compared with those without NAC (n = 68) (p = 0.041). Patients in MULT group (n = 45) had significantly improved OS (p = 0.004) and PFS (p = 0.003) compared with those in MOLT group (n = 15). Multivariate analysis identified NAC and CSLT (n = 51) were independent prognostic factors for superior OS (p = 0.020, p = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggested that CSLT, especially a combination of NAC and LT, improved the survival of patients with LA ONB. Multiple treatment modalities yielded better PFS and OS compared to single-modality treatment.

Long-term survival outcomes and recurrence patterns of olfactory neuroblastoma: A 13-year experience at a single institution

OBJECTIVES

Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB), also known as esthesioneuroblastoma, is a rare malignant neoplasm of the nasal vault and anterior skull base. The results of treatment for ONB are relatively good; however, regional and distant metastases can develop several years after definitive treatment. This study aimed to validate the treatment modality of ONB for oncological outcomes, especially for regional recurrence.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 22 patients diagnosed with ONB at Kyoto University Hospital between 2009 and 2020. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and Kaplan-Meier curves were used.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 58.2 months. One (4.5%) patient was clinically node positive, (cN+) and the remaining 21 (95.5%) were clinically node negative (cN0) at presentation. Eighteen patients underwent an endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for primary resection, and the remaining four patients underwent a combined EEA and transcranial approach. Elective neck dissection was not performed for 21 patients with cN0 ONB, whereas unilateral neck dissection with removal of ipsilateral lateral retropharyngeal node was performed for one patient with cN+ ONB. Postoperative radiotherapy without concurrent chemotherapy was performed only at the primary tumor bed for 21 patients with cN0 ONB, and at the primary tumor bed and bilateral neck for one patient with cN+ ONB. The 5-year overall, disease-specific, and disease-free survival rates were 94.1%, 100%, and 69.6%, respectively. No patients developed local recurrence, but 6 (27.2%) patients experienced recurrence with a median time to recurrence of 36.4 months, including four and two patients who initially developed regional recurrences and bone metastases, respectively. Five (22.7%) patients had delayed neck recurrence. The salvage rate was only 60.0% in the five patients who had delayed neck recurrence. Regarding the level of delayed neck recurrence, 4 (18.2%) patients had lateral retropharyngeal lymph node metastases.

CONCLUSION

Patients with ONB have excellent survival outcomes after endoscopic surgical resection of the primary lesion with postoperative radiotherapy only to the primary tumor bed. Despite excellent survival, delayed neck recurrence, including the lateral retropharyngeal lymph node, remains high. Because salvage surgery for lateral retropharyngeal lymph node recurrence is sometimes technically difficult, it may be better to extend the field of postoperative radiotherapy from the primary tumor bed only to include bilateral lateral retropharyngeal lymph node regions in patients with clinically N0 ONB. Further prospective studies with a large number of patients are needed to determine the extent of postoperative radiotherapy.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy for nasal cavity and paranasal sinus tumors: Experience from a single institute

BACKGROUND

To assess the efficacy of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for tumors of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus (PNS) region.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two hundred fourteen patients with tumors of the nasal cavity and PNS region treated with curative intent IMRT between 2007 and 2019 were included in this retrospective analysis.

RESULTS

Fifty-one (24.1%) received definitive RT/CTRT and 163 (75.9%) received adjuvant RT. Most common histology was squamous cell carcinoma (26.1%) followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma (21.5%). The median follow-up was 43.5 months. The 5-year local control (LC), event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 66.9%, 59%, and 73.9%, respectively. On univariate analysis treatment with nonsurgical modality, T classification and undifferentiated/poorly differentiated histology were associated with inferior 5-year LC, EFS, and OS. Four patients had late Grade 3/Grade 4 ocular toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

IMRT should be the standard of care for tumors of PNS region across all histologies and treatment setting.

Long-Term Survival Outcomes and Treatment Experience of 64 Patients With Esthesioneuroblastoma

Background: Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare sinonasal malignancy, lacking a unified staging system and treatment. Management at a single center was retrospectively evaluated to inform future treatment options and prognostic factors. Methods: Clinical data of 64 consecutive ENB patients, including prognostic factors and treatment methods, were reviewed retrospectively. Data were collected to calculate overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). Results: The majority of tumors 84.4% were within Kadish C stage, 79.7% were within T3 or T4, and 64.0% were within Hyams grade III or IV. A total of 50 (78.1%) patients received surgery and combined radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, 10 (15.6%) received surgery with or without chemotherapy alone, and 4 (6.3%) received radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy alone. The majority of patients (79.7%) underwent endoscopic resection (endoscopic and endoscopically assisted). Surgery combined with radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy resulted in significantly better OS (84.4 vs. 50.6%, 84.4 vs. 37.5%) compared to surgery alone and radiotherapy alone (P = 0.0064). Endoscopic surgery group (endoscopic and endoscopically assisted) resulted in significantly better 5-year PFS (61.7 vs. 22.2%) compared to the open surgery group (P < 0.001). Although endoscopic surgery group was not a statistically significant predictor of 5-year OS (P = 0.54), the 5-year OS was 79.3% for the endoscopic surgery group and 76.2% for the open surgery group. A Cox regression analysis identified intracranial extension and surgery combined with radiotherapy as independent factors affecting 5-year OS while cervical lymph node metastasis and Hyams grade IV as independent factors affecting 5-year PFS. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that surgery combined with radiotherapy is the best treatment approach for ENB. For advanced tumors, endoscopic surgery is an effective treatment, and its survival rate is equal to or better than open surgery.

Long-term analysis of multimodality treatment outcomes and prognosis of esthesioneuroblastomas: a single center results of 138 patients

Background

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of different treatment strategies and the potential prognostic factors of esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB).

Materials and methods

Between April 1984 and December 2018, 138 patients with non-metastatic ENB were retrospectively analyzed. The treatment modalities mainly included surgery alone (n = 7), radiotherapy alone (n = 33), concurrent chemoradiotherapy (n = 17), surgery combined with current chemoradiotherapy (n = 32), and surgery plus radiotherapy (n = 49).

Results

The median follow-up time for the entire cohort was 61 months (range, 4–231 months). The 5-year overall survival (OS), locoregional failure-free survival (LRFFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rate were 69.6, 78.0 and 73.9%, respectively. Surgery combined with radiotherapy elicited superior survival results, and the combination of surgery and current chemoradiotherapy achieved the best prognoses for all patients, patients with advanced Kadish disease, patients receiving intensity modulated radiation therapy and those with positive surgical margin. Univariate analysis identified orbital invasion and treatment modalities were predictors for OS, LRFFS and DMFS. Lymph node metastasis was associated with OS and DMFS, but not LRFFS. Intracranial invasion, advanced Kadish stage and not receiving concurrent chemotherapy were also predictive of lower OS. Multivariate analyses indicated that lymph node metastasis was an independent prognostic factor affecting DMFS, whereas treatment modalities was independent prognostic factors for OS and LRFFS.

Conclusion

Orbital invasion, intracranial invasion, lymph node metastasis and advanced Kadish disease at initial diagnosis were significantly associated with inferior prognosis. Regarding the treatment modality, the optimal strategy remined surgery with radiotherapy-based multimodality treatment. The concurrent chemoradiotherapy may play a more beneficial role.

Intensity-modulated particle beam radiation therapy in the management of olfactory neuroblastoma

Background

To report the clinical experience and short-term efficacy in the management of olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB).

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of 12 ONB patients treated with particle beam radiation therapy (PBRT) between 12/2015 and 5/2019 at the Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center. Four (33.3%) patients presented with Kadish B ONB, and 8 (66.7%) presented with Kadish C or D disease. Eleven patients received proton radiotherapy (PRT) followed by a carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) boost, one patient received CIRT only. The 2-year survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Acute and late adverse events were summarized and scored according to the CTCAE (version 4.03).

Results

With a median follow-up of 17.5 (range, 2.53–49.9) months, all patients but 1 were alive. Eight patients were alive without evidence of disease, and 2 additional patients achieved partial response and remained alive with residual disease. One patient died of toxicity associated with salvage chemotherapy for distant metastasis and local failure. Another patient developed distant metastasis only and was alive at the time of the last follow-up. The 2-year OS, PFS, LRPFS, and DMFS rates were 83.3%, 75.8%, 87.5%, and 79.5%, respectively. No acute or late toxicities of ≥ grade 3 was observed.

Conclusions

Intensity modulated PBRT of ONB is well tolerated. While longer follow-up is needed, early outcomes suggested that PBRT is safe and effective for the treatment of ONB with minimal adverse events.

Prognostic factors and outcomes of multimodality treatment in olfactory neuroblastoma

OBJECTIVE

The clinical data on olfactory neuroblastomas (ONBs) are scarce owing to their rarity. This study aimed to assess the potential prognostic factors, outcomes, and optimal treatment strategies in patients with ONB.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The data of 217 patients with ONB between 1991 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Long-term survival, potential prognostic factors, and outcomes with combined treatment strategies were analyzed.

RESULTS

All patients received radiotherapy (RT); 185 patients underwent surgery, and 139 patients received chemotherapy. The 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional failure-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) of the entire cohort were 80.0%, 79.0%, 79.3%, and 80%, respectively. On univariate analyses, R0/R1 resection, early Kadish stage, negative lymph nodes, absence of orbital invasion, and administration of surgery with RT were found to be favorable factors. Conversely, combined sequential treatment with surgery, RT, and chemotherapy was not associated with survival. Multivariate analysis demonstrated lymph node status, orbital invasion, and the combination of surgery and RT to be independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with ONB, who had lymph node metastases, orbital invasion diseases, advanced Kadish stages, R2 resection margins, and received RT alone, had poor outcomes. Combined administration of surgery and RT may be a potentially useful strategy in patients with advanced Kadish stages; the role of chemotherapy in these stages requires further evaluation.

Neck management in patients with olfactory neuroblastoma

OBJECTIVE

Optimal neck management in patients with olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB), a rare malignancy, remains uncertain. This study aimed to analyse patterns of cervical lymph node metastases and corresponding clinical outcomes and to investigate the value of elective neck irradiation (ENI) in this population.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

This study retrospectively reviewed clinical records, imaging findings, nodal metastasis features and treatment data of 217 patients with ONB treated at our hospital during 1991-2019. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the influence of cervical lymph node involvement on treatment outcomes. Survival and regional failure rates were compared between patients with or without ENI.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients (14.7%) presented initially with cervical lymph node metastases, most frequently at levels II (10.6%, 23/217) and VIIa (5.5%, 12/217). Patients with and without cervical node metastasis differed significantly in overall (OS) (41.9% vs. 86.1%, p < 0.001), progression-free (PFS) (41.9% vs. 84.8%, p < 0.001), regional failure-free (45.9% vs. 89%, p < 0.001) and distant metastasis-free survival (41.5% vs. 86.1%, p < 0.001). Cervical lymph involvement was an independent factor affecting poor OS (hazard ratio, 0.184, 95% confidence interval, 0.078-0.436, p < 0.001) and PFS (hazard ratio, 0.198, 95% confidence interval, 0.088-0.445, p < 0.001). Moreover, 43.8% patients (95/217) underwent ENI, which significantly reduced the incidence of regional recurrence from 10.7% to 3.2% (χ² = 4.396, p = 0.036) but did not significantly affect other survival outcomes. Regional failures could be resolved using salvage treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate the importance of systematic therapy for patients with initial cervical lymph node metastases. ENI is not recommended for N0 disease.