Olfactory neuroblastoma: Presentation of a case and review of the japanese literature

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Abstract
Olfactory neuroblastoma is an uncommon malignant tumor arising from the nasal cavity. During the past 18 years from 1964 to 1982, only 24 cases have been in Japanese literature, including this case. The average age of these patients is 42.3 years, ranging from 4 to 75 years old. The sex ratio of male to female is 10:14, female being prevalent moderately. The peak distribution is from 30 to 40 years old. The majority of the patients died of distant metastasis within 2 years of diagnosis. Therefore, the overall prognosis in Japan is very poor, as compared with about a 50% 5 year survival rate in the western countries. This is probably because this tumor is difficult to diagnose correctly, and the chance to start treatment early is apt to be missed here, though some tumors behaved very aggressively from the beginning, metastasizing early.