Olfactory Neuroblastoma (Esthesioneuroepithelioma)

ESTHESIONEUROEPITHELIOMA (olfactory neuroblastoma) was described by Berger, Luc, and Richard in France in 1924.¹In this country such a tumor was first presented by Schall and Linebach²and Seaman.³ Olfactory neuroblastoma is supposedly a rare neurogenic neoplasm arising from the region of the cribriform plate and surrounding olfactory mucous membranes, independent of the central nervous system. The exact origin, however, cannot be said to have been well established. Dibble and Brown⁴have mentioned the several possibilities of histogenesis. From our experience of having had six such cases admitted to our hospital in the past four years and from the increased number of these tumors appearing in the literature, the alleged rarity of this condition appears doubtful.⁵That the infrequency of the diagnosis in part may be due to lack of familiarity with, and thus lack of recognition of, the true nature of the tumor by