Neuroblastoma
About Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is a cancerous tumor that begins in nerve tissue of young children. It is most commonly diagnosed in children less than five years of age, and rarely occurs after the age of 10. The cause of neuroblastoma is not known. Many hereditary and environmental factors have been studied and shown not to cause neuroblastoma.
Neuroblastoma usually begins in the abdomen (65 percent of cases), especially in the tissues of the adrenal gland, which secretes hormones important for normal body function and are found on top of the kidneys in the abdomen. Other common sites of neuroblastoma include the chest, neck and pelvis. Neuroblastoma cancer cells can spread (metastasize) to other areas of the body, including the lymph nodes, liver, bones and bone marrow. More than half of children with neuroblastoma will have metastatic disease at diagnosis.
Some brief statistics about neuroblastoma:
- Approximately 600 children in the United States are diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year.
- Neuroblastoma represents 7-10 percent of all childhood cancers.
- Neuroblastoma is the most common tumor found outside of the brain in children.
- Neuroblastoma is the most common tumor found in children younger than one year of age.
