children s health issues
Neuroblastoma
Introduction
Neuroblastoma is a common childhood cancer that grows in parts of the nervous system or adrenal glands. What causes neuroblastoma is often not known. Symptoms depend on where neuroblastomas develop, such as the abdomen, chest, bone, skin, or spinal cord. Diagnosis usually involves an imaging test and a biopsy. Treatment depends on the child's age and the specific characteristics of the cancer and may include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. (See also Overview of Childhood Cancer .) A neuroblastoma develops in a certain kind of nerve tissue located in many places of the body. It usually originates in nerves in the abdomen or chest, most commonly in the Overview of the Adrenal Glands (located above each kidney). In over half of the children, the cancer has spread to other parts of the body by the time a doctor is consulted. Neuroblastoma is the most common cancer among infants. About 90% of all neuroblastomas occur in children younger than 5 years. With very rare exceptions, neuroblastomas occur only in children. The cause of neuroblastoma is often not known. Most of these tumors occur spontaneously. Rarely, neuroblastomas run in families. Neuroblastoma is the most common cancer among infants. 