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Neuroblastoma in children is a cancer that starts in immature nerve cells or neuroblasts. Neuroblastoma occurs when the neuroblasts grow uncontrollably and form a solid tumor rather than developing into working nerve cells.
Neuroblastoma can start in any area of the body with clusters of nerve cells and spread to other parts of the body through the blood. Often, neuroblastoma starts in the tissue of the adrenal glands that are on top of the kidneys.
Almost all cases of neuroblastoma happen in infants and children younger than age 5, but the tumor occasionally is seen in teenagers or young adults. About 800 new cases of neuroblastoma are diagnosed each year in the U.S.
The board-certified pediatric neuroscience and cancer specialists with Norton Children’s Brain & Spinal Tumor Program collaborate to evaluate each case of neuroblastoma. They bring their individual experience, training and skills to regular case reviews to build a customized treatment plan for each child.
The five-year survival rate for neuroblastoma ranges from 50% for children in the highest risk group to 95% for those with low risk. Risk is determined by factors such as the child’s age, how far the cancer has developed, its location and tests on the neuroblastoma cells.
Many children go on to live longer than five years and many are cured, meaning no traces of cancer remain. Many treatment advances have been discovered in recent years, and the prognosis for children with neuroblastoma continues to improve.
Emaleigh’s neuroblastoma survival story: Surgeons removed a tumor near her aorta and vertebrae, leaving low risk of recurrence.
The neuroscience and oncology specialists with the Norton Children’s Brain & Spinal Tumor Program are working to lengthen life expectancy for kids with neuroblastoma. They stay at the forefront of research into new treatments, conduct clinical trials of new drugs and therapies, and publish their findings in prestigious medical journals so others can benefit from their discoveries.
The Brain & Spinal Tumor Program is a collaboration of Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute and Norton Children’s Cancer Institute, both affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine.
Suspected cases of neuroblastoma warrant tests to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other possible causes of symptoms. Tests include:
Initial symptoms of neuroblastoma often are vague, making diagnosis difficult in the early stages. Symptoms may include:
Neuroblastoma often is discovered in young children when a parent or doctor feels an unusual lump most often in the abdomen but can be in the neck, chest or elsewhere.
The multidisciplinary team of physicians at the Brain & Spinal Tumor Program review each case in regular meetings to develop a treatment plan for each patient. Key factors in the treatment decision include how far the cancer has advanced and whether it has spread beyond its initial location.
Treatment can range from monitoring low-risk cases to more aggressive treatments in higher-risk cases. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are common treatments.
For high-risk cases, stem cell transplant and immunotherapy treatments may be needed. The MIBG diagnostic tool also can be used as a treatment through higher levels of radiation. The MIBG delivers the radiation directly to the neuroblastoma cells and kills them.
Norton Children’s Cancer Institute is a long-standing member of the Children’s Oncology Group. The Children’s Oncology Group is the largest group of hospitals around the world that treat children with cancer. Our involvement means patients have access to innovative new treatments through clinical trials.