Role of surgical treatment for esthesioneuroblastomas: 31-Year experience at a single institution.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to re-assess the outcomes of different surgical methods for esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) in a single institution, with emphasis on changes in surgical treatment with regard to endoscopic approaches in patients with ENB.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 35 patients with ENB treated over the last 31 years.

RESULTS: The 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 66.8% and 50.8%, respectively. Disease-free survival in the endoscopic surgery group was significantly higher compared to that of craniofacial surgery group (P = 0.035). In the endoscopic surgery group, nine of 10 patients did not exhibit local failure or regional recurrence over a mean followup period of 64.3 months, which was longer than the mean time to recurrence (22.0 months) observed in this study.

CONCLUSION: Given its significant survival outcomes and high rate of local control, endoscopic surgery could be preferred as a minimally invasive treatment with potentially low morbidity and possible oncological validity for the treatment of ENB.