OBJECTIVETo investigate the effectiveness of intranasal endoscopic resection of olfactory neuroblastoma and the significance of assistant radiotherapy.

METHODSSix patients (4 men and 2 women) ranging in age from 9-68 years (median age, 48 years) with olfactory neuroblastoma treated endoscopically at the Third Affiliated Hospital of SUN Yat-sen University between August 2001 and September 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. The Kadish clinical stage was determined for all six cases, two cases with stage B, and 4 with stage C. The duration of endoscopic follow-up ranged from fourteen months to sixty three months.

RESULTSThe tumor in five patients was completely excised including one case underwent craniotomy firstly and one case underwent neck dissection and the another case had her tumor subtotally resected. Five cases underwent assistant radiotherapy after operation without any evidence of recurrence so far, while the other one (Kadish stage B, tumor totally resection), who had no radiotherapy after first procedure, died from local recurrence and cerebellar metastasis 31 months after operation. The medium survival duration was 44.5 months.

CONCLUSIONSWith simple approach, excellent visualization, a less operative invasiveness and no scar on face, the endoscopic approach appears to be the method of choice for the treatment of olfactory neuroblastoma. But it was necessary for good prognosis to combine with radiotherapy after operation.