Anosmie révélatrice d’un adénocarcinome nasal chez les travailleurs du bois

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this article is to report two cases illustrating the origin of woodworkers’ adenocarcinoma in the olfactory cleft and to discuss screening, prevention, and surgical approaches.

Material and method

Retrospective study of the charts of two cases of adenocarcinoma of the olfactory cleft revealed by a loss of the sense of smell.

Results

Of 30 consecutive cases of woodworkers’ adenocarcinoma of the olfactory cleft observed during the last 3 years, the two cases revealed by anosmia were diagnosed as small tumors located in one olfactory cleft.

Conclusion

In light of these two cases, we discuss anosmia in the diagnostic screening of this tumor and its consequences in the olfactory cleft: flexible endoscopic examination of the olfactory cleft seems preferable to rigid endoscope examination of the middle meatus at screening; endoscopic resection of the olfactory cleft seems preferable to resection through external approaches; and nasal lavages seem preferable to the Proetz technique for preventive sinus lavage. The new knowledge on adenocarcinoma of the olfactory cleft should be familiar to occupational health physicians, general practitioners, and otorhinolaryngologists because of its practical consequences for screening, diagnosis, prevention, and surgical treatment.