Esthesioneuroblastoma

Esthesioneuroblastoma (es-THEE-zee-oh-NOOR-oh-blas-TOH-muh) is a rare type of head and neck cancer. Healthcare providers may call it olfactory neuroblastoma. In esthesioneuroblastoma, you have cancerous tumors in your nasal cavities, which are hollow areas inside your nose. The tumors affect nerves and tissues that are responsible for your sense of smell.

This condition mostly affects adults, but it can affect children and adolescents. Healthcare providers treat it with surgery to remove the tumor, followed by radiation therapy. Esthesioneuroblastoma may grow back (recur), so healthcare providers recommend people have regular checkups to confirm it hasn’t come back.

How common is esthesioneuroblastoma?

It’s rare, affecting about 1 in 2.5 million people worldwide each year. Most people are in their 50s to 70s when they receive their diagnosis, but it can affect children and teenagers. Esthesioneuroblastoma is the most common cancer of the nasal cavity in children and adolescents.