1994 Volume 87 Issue 12 Pages 1665-1670
A 70-year-old female visited our hospital complaining of left recurrent epistaxis. A pink tumor with a hemorrhagic surface was found in the left nasal cavity. The patient underwent left lateral rhinotomy for total tumor resection. Transmission electron microscopy revealed an olfactory neuroblastoma with microfilaments, microtubules and densecore vesicles. Preoperative levels of dopamine, a catecholamine metabolite were above normal in her urine and blood. They fell to normal postoperatively. At the present time, about 2 years afteroperation, she is asymptomatic with no evidence of local recurrence or metastasis. Our experience with this patient confirms the necessity of electron microscopic examination for the exact diagnosis of olfactory neuroblastoma. The level of dopamine in the urine and blood can be followed as a marker of tumor recurrence.
