Abstract
Objectives
To report experience and oncologic outcomes of surgical resection and adjuvant therapy in the treatment of olfactory neuroblastoma.
Methods
A retrospective chart review of 31 patients with a histologic diagnosis of olfactory neuroblastoma presenting to the senior author between February 1994 and August 2007.
Results
3 of the 31 patients presenting with altered mental status were found to have tumors with either advanced or metastatic tumors and were excluded from analysis. One patient opted for treatment elsewhere and 1 patient received neoadjuvant chemo-radiation therapy and died prior to surgery, leaving 26 patients available for study. 3 patients received primary radiation and 23 had primary surgery. 2 patients had limited disease and were treated with solely with medial maxillectomy. 24 patients had surgical resection with an anterior craniofacial, either open (17) or endoscopic (5). Negative margins achieved in 8.2%. Adjuvant radiotherapy was performed in 19 patients, 5 of which received concurrent chemotherapy. Only 1 patient presented with clinically positive neck disease and delayed neck failure was observed in 11.5% of patients with a majority of failures being advanced disease. Median and median follow-up were 56.42 and 42.6 months respectively. 21 patients (21/26 or 81%) are alive with no evidence of disease; 1 is alive with disease, and 4 patients are dead of disease.
Conclusions
The anterior craniofacial approach with adjuvant therapy used in this study has provided promising long-term results for the patients involved. Given the high propensity for olfactory neuroblastoma to recur, long-term follow-up is indicated.
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