Browsing: Neuroblastoma
Comprehensive Information, Resources, and Support on Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer which develops from immature nerve or neuroblasts primarily in the adrenal gland, neck, abdomen chest, pelvis or spinal cord. The infected cells may spread to other organs such as the bone marrow, bone, lymph nodes, liver and skin. The immature malignant cells are mostly found in
an embryo or fetus. It is estimated that neuroblastoma mostly affects children age 5 or younger. In some cases, neuroblastoma begins due to a gene mutation passed from the parent to the child. Neuroblastoma accounts for about 7% of all cancers in children.
Signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma
Some most common symptoms of neuroblastoma are:
– Pain in abdomen, neck, chest or bones
– Hard mass or lumps under the skin
– Diarrhea or constipation
– Difficulty in swallowing
– Fatigue, loss of energy, loss of appetite and weight loss
– Bulging or jerky eyes, pale skin, etc
Diagnosis and Treatment of neuroblastoma
For accurate diagnosis, several tests are recommended such as urine test, ultrasound scans, MRI scans, CT scans, mIBG (metaiodobenzylguanidine) scan, etc. In some cases, tissue biopsy or bone marrow biopsy are recommended to exact diagnose the disease.
Common treatments of neuroblastoma are surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, stem cell transplant, retinoid therapy, etc depending upon the stage of the disease.
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Neuroblastoma is a rare disease characterized by uncontrolled or abnormal cell growth resulting in the formation of a lump or mass called solid tumor. Children who undergo three or more kinds of treatment for neuroblastoma are at risk of developing severe side effects and late effects of the treatment.
The cells responsible for neuroblastoma formation are called neuroblasts. Stage 4 neuroblastoma is also called high-risk neuroblastoma. At this stage, the cancer has spread to distant body parts like distant lymph nodes, bone, liver, skin, bone marrow etc. Stage 4 neuroblastomas are highly aggressive and have a survival rate of less than 50%.
Neuroblastoma is the most common malignant neoplasm that mostly occurs in neonates. Fetal neuroblastoma and neonatal neuroblastoma are the two types of congenital neuroblastoma in children. Congenital neuroblastoma in children is usually diagnosed within one month of birth.
Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that develops from immature nerve cells found in several areas of the body. These nerve cells are in their early developmental stages, found in embryo or foetuses. The word neuroblastoma consists of two terms where ‘neuro’ refers to nerves, and ‘blastoma’ refers to a cancer that affects immature cells.