Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1992 Apr;45(4):299–302. doi: 10.1136/jcp.45.4.299

Intracranial olfactory neuroblastoma: evidence for olfactory epithelial origin.

A K Banerjee 1, B S Sharma 1, R K Vashista 1, V K Kak 1
PMCID: PMC495268  PMID: 1374430

Abstract

AIMS: To determine the possible histogenesis of the intracranial variant of olfactory neuroblastoma. METHODS: Four specimens from three cases of intracranial olfactory neuroblastoma were studied by light microscopy and immuno-histochemistry, and electron microscopy in two cases. RESULTS: Light microscopical examination showed small cell tumour with additional features of epithelioid cells in one case and ganglion cells in another. Olfactory and Homer-Wright rosettes were present. All the specimens showed a uniform positive reaction to neurone specific enolase, S-100, and cytokeratin antibodies. Glial fibrillary acidic protein was absent. The salient electron microscopic features were the presence of cell junctions, cytoplasmic intermediate filaments, basal bodies and cytolasmic processes. Dense cored vesicles were absent. CONCLUSIONS: The results strongly support the view that intracranial olfactory neuroblastomas are of olfactory epithelial origin and differ from conventional neuroblastomas.

Full text

PDF
299

Images in this article

300Image
on p.300
300Image
on p.300
301Image
on p.301
301Image
on p.301
302Image
on p.302

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Axe S., Kuhajda F. P. Esthesioneuroblastoma. Intermediate filaments, neuroendocrine, and tissue-specific antigens. Am J Clin Pathol. 1987 Aug;88(2):139–145. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/88.2.139. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chaudhry A. P., Haar J. G., Koul A., Nickerson P. A. Olfactory neuroblastoma (esthesioneuroblastoma): a light and ultrastructural study of two cases. Cancer. 1979 Aug;44(2):564–579. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(197908)44:2<564::aid-cncr2820440225>3.0.co;2-#. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Choi H. S., Anderson P. J. Immunohistochemical diagnosis of olfactory neuroblastoma. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1985 Jan;44(1):18–31. doi: 10.1097/00005072-198501000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Choi H. S., Anderson P. J. Olfactory neuroblastoma: an immuno-electron microscopic study of S-100 protein-positive cells. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1986 Sep;45(5):576–587. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hassoun J., Gambarelli D., Grisoli F., Henric A., Toga M. Esthesioneuroepithelioma, a true neurosensorial tumor. Light- and electron-microscopic study of a case with endocranial extension. Acta Neuropathol. 1981;55(1):77–80. doi: 10.1007/BF00691536. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Miller D. C., Goodman M. L., Pilch B. Z., Shi S. R., Dickersin G. R., Halpern H., Norris C. M., Jr Mixed olfactory neuroblastoma and carcinoma. A report of two cases. Cancer. 1984 Nov 1;54(9):2019–2028. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19841101)54:9<2019::aid-cncr2820540940>3.0.co;2-p. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Mills S. E., Frierson H. F., Jr Olfactory neuroblastoma. A clinicopathologic study of 21 cases. Am J Surg Pathol. 1985 May;9(5):317–327. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mills S. E., Frierson H. F., Jr Olfactory neuroblastoma. A clinicopathologic study of 21 cases. Am J Surg Pathol. 1985 May;9(5):317–327. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Schochet S. S., Jr, Peters B., O'Neal J., McCormick W. F. Intracranial esthesioneuroblastoma. A light and electron microscopic study. Acta Neuropathol. 1975;31(3):181–189. doi: 10.1007/BF00684557. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Takahashi H., Ohara S., Yamada M., Ikuta F., Tanimura K., Honda Y. Esthesioneuroepithelioma: a tumor of true olfactory epithelium origin. An ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study. Acta Neuropathol. 1987;75(2):147–155. doi: 10.1007/BF00687075. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Takahashi S., Iwanaga T., Takahashi Y., Nakano Y., Fujita T. Neuron-specific enolase, neurofilament protein and S-100 protein in the olfactory mucosa of human fetuses. An immunohistochemical study. Cell Tissue Res. 1984;238(2):231–234. doi: 10.1007/BF00217293. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Taxy J. B., Bharani N. K., Mills S. E., Frierson H. F., Jr, Gould V. E. The spectrum of olfactory neural tumors. A light-microscopic immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analysis. Am J Surg Pathol. 1986 Oct;10(10):687–695. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Taxy J. B., Hidvegi D. F. Olfactory neuroblastoma: an ultrastructural study. Cancer. 1977 Jan;39(1):131–138. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(197701)39:1<131::aid-cncr2820390123>3.0.co;2-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Trojanowski J. Q., Lee V., Pillsbury N., Lee S. Neuronal origin of human esthesioneuroblastoma demonstrated with anti-neurofilament monoclonal antibodies. N Engl J Med. 1982 Jul 15;307(3):159–161. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198207153070305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Vinores S. A., Bonnin J. M., Rubinstein L. J., Marangos P. J. Immunohistochemical demonstration of neuron-specific enolase in neoplasms of the CNS and other tissues. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1984 Jul;108(7):536–540. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES