Tumours of the Nose

A tumour is the name for any kind of swelling or growth and can be benign or malignant. The most common type to occur in the sinonasal cavity are benign – they grow slowly and do not invade adjacent structures. Conversely, malignant tumours invade the local tissues and can spread to other parts of the body. Only about 10 in 1 million people are affected by sinonasal tumours each year.

Examples of benign tumours:

• Nasal polyps
• Inverted papilloma – A one sided warty, slow-growing tumour that can be similar to a nasal polyp with a nasal blockage.
• Haemangioma – A collection of blood vessels that usually causes nosebleeds and nasal blockage.
• Osteoma – A bony, smooth non-tender swelling.
• Angiofibroma – A collection of fibrous tissue and blood vessels that appear on one side with nasal obstruction and occasional nose bleeds. This is typically found in teenage boys.

Examples of malignant tumours:

• Squamous cell cancer – these account for the majority of malignant tumours.
• Lymphoma – Tumours of the immune system.
• Melanoma – Derived from pigmented cells, similar to those that cause skin cancer.
• Adenocarcinoma – More common in those people who work with hardwoods.