Keywords: esthesioneuroblastoma, neoplasm staging, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy

Abstract: We present six cases of esthesioneuroblastoma treated at our department during the past eigth years. All patients were aged between 11 and 64 years. There was no predominante of sex (3:3). The major simptoms were nasal obstruction and hiposmia. Diagnosis was made by biopsy and the use of immunohistochemical techniques to differenciate froco lymphoma, undifferenciated carcinoma, melanoma, sarcoma and minor salivary gland cancers. Staging was made based on Kadish's staging system. In our series, four patients were classified as stage C and two patients as stage B. Metastases were observed in three patients at the following locations: cervical lymphnodes (2), lung (2), liver (1) and bone (1). Treatment consisted on surgery and postoperative radiation in three patients; surgery plus radiation and chemotherapy in two patients and in one patient only radiation and chemotherapy due to the advanced stage of the disease. Three patients (two treated also with chemotherapy) have at least four years postoperative and don't have signs of recurrence. A four patient is alive, but has lung and cervical metastases. In conclusion, esthesioneuroblastoma are malignant epithelial tumors that still do not have a stablished treatment. The high mortality suggests that agressive procedures should be taken. Protocols of chemotherapy have emerged and may help in the treatment of these patients.