Tumors of the nose

Usually, nasal tumors are discovered quite by accident in the diagnosis and treatment of various respiratory diseases. At an early stage, they do not give a clearly pronounced symptomatology, therefore, it is not easy to suspect their presence. And only when a clearly localized darkening appears on the X-ray, the doctor may offer to undergo an additional examination to determine the nature of the neoplasm.

Malignant and benign

If you suddenly have strange formations in your nose, you should not be afraid ahead of time. Nasal cancer is a fairly rare disease and affects this ailment mainly in older men (from 50 years old and above). In most cases, the tests carried out indicate the benign nature of the nasal tumor. Sometimes the doctor even recommends just keeping it under observation and not surgically removing it.

A malignant tumor in the nose rarely appears just like that. It usually develops against the background of precancerous conditions and prolonged inflammatory processes in the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses.

If, according to the results of the diagnosis, the tumor cells turned out to be cancerous, then it is very important to immediately begin the course of treatment, since malignant neoplasms develop rapidly, and some of them are capable of metastasizing even to distant organs.

In children, sometimes there is a cranial hernia, which falls into the nasal cavity and at first can be mistaken for a neoplasm, although it, in fact, is not such. It is the part of the brain covered by the meninges and epidermis that penetrates through defects in the structure of the bones into the nasal cavity or ethmoid labyrinth. In rare cases, it is mistaken for an ordinary polyp and removed, but this provokes chronic inflammation of the meninges, which is why a thorough preliminary examination is so important before performing any manipulations with tumors.

Reasons for education

The formation of benign tumors is most often associated with chronic inflammation in the nose, as they are degenerated cells of the epithelial tissue that creates the lining of the nose. Therefore, they usually develop against the background of chronic respiratory diseases.

The formation of malignant tumors can be triggered by some types of viruses, radiation exposure, the presence in the body of a large number of carcinogens (which have the ability to accumulate over time) or other external and internal factors.

Fortunately, doctors were able to establish that genetically nasal cancer is not transmitted, that is, there is no hereditary predisposition to it.

Negative factors that can provoke tumors in the cavity or sinuses of the nose are:

persistent severe allergic reactions that provoke inflammation and swelling of the mucous membrane;
chronic respiratory diseases, which result in thinning and atrophic changes in the mucous membrane;
smoking tobacco is the simultaneous effect of several negative factors: high temperature, carcinogens and circulatory disorders;
human papillomavirus - leads to the formation of neoplasms on various parts of the body, which can degenerate into malignant;
the negative impact of the environment, especially polluted air, also leads to atrophy and degeneration of epithelial cells;
occupational diseases of the respiratory system caused by exposure to the vapors of harmful chemicals.

People working in "harmful" industries: chemical, metallurgical, woodworking factories, workshops for the production of leather, furniture, synthetic fabrics, printing workers lead the risk group. Not too far from them, according to statistics, are heavy smokers and those who like to inhale various narcotic substances. The incidence rate of nasal cancer among them is the highest - up to 80% of the total number of patients.

In rare cases, the provocateurs of the appearance of neoplasms in infants and young children are various drugs used to treat the expectant mother, which can penetrate the placental barrier and cause fetal defects. There is a high risk of developing various types of tumors in children born to mothers who are drug addicts or who have not stopped using tobacco during pregnancy.

The main symptoms

Since there are many types of nasal tumors, the symptoms of their manifestation are very diverse. Below are just the most common ones, which are sufficient cause for alarm:

constant congestion and a feeling of "fullness" of the sinuses;
swollen nose or soft tissues of the face;
clearly localized pain sensations;
redness and swelling of the eyelids;
decrease or loss of sensitivity of a part of the face;
profuse discharge of grayish or purulent mucus from the nose;
runny nose with traces or blood clots (often in the morning);
visual disorder, may see double vision;
lacrimation and / or photophobia;
ear pain, chronic otitis media;
tumors, bumps, protrusions on and around the nose.

Depending on the nature and location of the neoplasms, the eyelids, behind the ear or cervical lymph nodes may swell. With the defeat of the lower part of the maxillary sinus, completely healthy teeth often begin to loosen and fall out. If the tumor is located in the sphenoid sinus, intracranial pain appears and increases over time.

If you find that you have two or more of the listed symptoms, it is better not to try to get rid of them with the help of "grandmother's" methods, but immediately go to the doctor until the tumor (if any) has developed to its fullest and has not given multiple metastases.

It is important - even with malignant tumors, with promptly started intensive treatment, the survival rate is quite high.

Diagnostic methods

Be aware that your nose can swell up after an injury, recent surgery, or an acute respiratory illness. In this case, severe swelling of the mucous membrane is to blame and, perhaps, you should not worry too much. But if such a tumor does not go away on its own for two or more weeks, it is necessary for a doctor to examine it. It is important to exclude a fracture or improper fusion of the bones of the nose, as well as a chronic form of sinusitis.

If you suspect the presence of neoplasms, a comprehensive examination is carried out, which includes several types of diagnostics:

Blood tests - general, biochemical and tumor markers. Allows you to determine the general condition of the patient, the presence of active inflammatory processes and the likelihood of the presence of malignant tumors.
X-rays in multiple projections. Neoplasms in the nose are visible on them as blackouts. You can roughly determine the size and location of the tumor, and also see which sinuses are affected.
Endoscopic examination - an internal examination of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Allows you to carefully examine the mucous membranes (the picture is displayed on the monitor), assess their condition and take tissue samples for histological examination (biopsy).
Computed tomography is more detailed than X-ray examination. Determines the clear localization of the tumor, some of its characteristics and the degree of mucosal damage.
Magnetic resonance imaging - performed in cases where there is a suspicion of the presence of metastases, allows you to accurately determine the nature of the tumor and the possibility of its surgical removal.

Remember that only a doctor can make a final diagnosis, and only an oncologist can diagnose cancer! Therefore, it is impossible to panic until the examination is complete - severe stress sharply reduces immunity, and even if the diagnosis turns out to be disappointing, such a patient will tolerate treatment worse than a positive one.

Benign tumors

Benign tumors are formed from altered cells in the body. They are not able to quickly grow or move to other organs and do not have a negative effect on the patient's condition as a whole. But, increasing in size, they lead to deformation of cartilage and bone tissue, cause pain and distort facial features.

The main types of benign tumors include:

chondroma - a neoplasm that affects the cartilaginous tissue of the nasal septum, has a vascular nature and can gradually grow into the nasal passage and paranasal sinuses;
angiogranuloma - is a polyp riddled with a huge number of capillaries, which almost constantly bleeds; almost does not increase in size, but it causes a lot of inconvenience;
papilloma - has a viral nature and it is very difficult to get rid of it: even after removal, it can grow in the same place after a while; once getting into the blood of a person, the papillomavirus remains there forever, and only strong immunity can restrain it;
osteoma - affects the bones of the frontal sinus or ethmoid labyrinth, can lead to severe deformation of the skull, provokes very severe headaches.

If there is a possibility of surgical removal of a benign neoplasm, then it is better to use it, since even with the modern level of development of medicine, it is still impossible to completely stop its growth. This is done medically only if the operation is contraindicated for one reason or another.

Many are afraid of postoperative scars and other cosmetic defects that may appear. Today, they can be easily eliminated with the help of a plastic surgeon.

If the tumor grows strongly, then it will be more difficult to remove it, and in some cases, lost time makes the operation impossible, and then irreparable and more serious defects in appearance may occur.

Malignant tumors

There are a lot of types of malignant tumors, and in each case, only an oncologist can determine exactly which of them the tumor belongs to, based on the results of examining tissue samples and other accompanying signs. Cancer cells have virtually no structural similarity to the cells from which they were formed and are capable of hyperactive growth.

A cancerous tumor quickly grows into neighboring tissues, and getting into the blood or lymph flow, such cells are capable of infecting distant organs of the human body, forming multiple metastases. This is why cancer is dangerous - it causes multiple and rapid pathological changes in the body.

According to the degree of organ damage, doctors identified four main stages of cancer, of which the last two also have substages:

Stage 1 - the cells are grouped, the size of the tumor is small, clear localization;
Stage 2 - the tumor has spread to adjacent tissues or sinuses;
Stage 3 - damage to the upper respiratory tract and partial germination beyond them;
Stage 4 - multiple metastases, intracranial and in remote organs, damage to the brain and / or skull bones.

Symptoms that clearly indicate malignant neoplasms are severe headaches and bloody nasal discharge. As the cancer spreads, there is deformation of the face, displacement or loss of the eyeball, loss of healthy teeth, destruction of the jaw bones.

Treatment of malignant neoplasms is only surgical. The tumor must be completely removed and as soon as possible. Often, several sessions of radiation therapy are given before surgery to weaken cancer cells as much as possible and prevent the development of metastases.

In order to be sure of the complete removal of cancer cells, the doctor also excises the surrounding tissue. In the case of an osteoma, a portion of the bone is cut or burned out. Therefore, when planning the operation, it is advisable to discuss with the surgeon the possibility and conditions of restoration of the subsequently formed defect.

At the end of the active recovery postoperative period, an additional course of chemotherapy is carried out, which is necessary in order to destroy the remaining cancer cells that could enter the blood, lymph or other organs. Then the patient is under constant supervision of an oncologist, and after a few months or a year, a second course of treatment is carried out to prevent relapse.

In stage 1-2 cancer, the prognosis is quite favorable and the survival rate is up to 80%. At 3-4 stages of the disease, it is usually possible to significantly restrain its development, but here it is very difficult to make any predictions - there are many factors that affect the speed and characteristics of the course of the disease. On average, it is possible to continue the life of such patients for 3-5 years. That is why early and accurate diagnosis of neoplasms is so important.