Angiofibroma

Angiofibroma is also know as a juvenile naopharyngeal angiofibroma. The angiofibroma is a very agressive tumor that is benign and located in the posterior part of the nasal cavity. It occurs in males and begins around the age of puberity. They say the tumor has something to do with testosterone and why it is found in males. It is not a very common tumor and only makes up .5 percent of all tumors in the head region. It is a very vascular tumor and because of this a symptom is bleeding from the nose. Some other symptoms include nasal blockage or problems due to the tumor growing into other spaces such as the sinuses or orbits. These are easily seen on MRI or CT's. They will just keep growing and will displace structures as it goes. To treat this tumor surgery is done and maybe radiation therapy.

My information found on the following websites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasopharyngeal_angiofibroma

http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic2758.htm

http://www.thedoctorsdoctor.com/Diseases/angiofibroma.htm

Pictures:

http://www.sickkids.on.ca/otolaryngology/IMAGES/angio.JPG

http://www.radpod.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/juvenile_angiofibroma_gd_ax.jpg

This website actually shows a tumor being taken out.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sickkids.on.ca/otolaryngology/IMAGES/angio.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.sickkids.on.ca/otolaryngology/angiofib.asp&h=204&w=300&sz=24&hl=en&start=13&um=1&tbnid=PQRefIN9NFPVVM:&tbnh=79&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dangiofibroma%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN