Neuroblastoma is one of the most common tumors of the nervous system in children, which affects its sympathetic part. The development of the tumor begins in the intrauterine period, when malignant cells migrate to the sympathetic ganglia, adrenal glands and other places.
The prognosis of neuroblastoma is made on the basis of such data as: the age of the child, the stage at which the diagnosis was made, and the histological features of the malignant cells. All these data relate to risk factors. It is important to note that children with low and moderate risk often recover, but patients with high risk, despite treatment, have very modest chances of survival. More details about the causes, symptoms and treatment of neuroblastoma in children read in our article.
Neuroblastoma - Causes
Despite the long and thorough research, the scientists have not found a specific cause of neuroblastoma development. Moreover, it was not possible to even identify factors that could affect its appearance.
Of course, there are guesses, but still, there is no evidence. Thus, for the most part, neuroblastoma appears in children in the family who previously had cases of morbidity. But annually, in the world, there is an average of 1-2% of cases in which neither parents nor close relatives have ever suffered from this ailment.
Now, the genome of patients with the family form of neuroblastoma is being investigated in order to calculate a gene (or several genes), a mutation in which, presumably, provoke the development of this tumor.
Neuroblastoma in children - symptoms
Symptoms of neuroblastoma in children depend on the primary location of the tumor and the presence or absence of metastases. "Classic" signs of neuroblastoma in children are: abdominal pain, vomiting , weight loss, appetite, fatigue and bone pain. Rarely arterial hypertension , and chronic diarrhea are rare.
Since more than 50% of patients come to the doctor in the late stages of the disease, the signs of the disease in these cases are given by the defeat of the organs in which the tumor metastasizes. These include bone pain, unexplained and persistent fever, irritability and bruising around the eyes.
When the tumor is in the chest, it can cause Claude-Bernard-Horner syndrome. The classic triad of Horner is: one-sided omission of the eyelid, narrowing of the pupil and a deeper position of the eyeball (relatively healthy eyes). At a congenital pathology there is a heterochromia - a different color of an iris (for example, one eye green, and another blue).
Also, the parents of a sick child can consult a doctor for a completely different matter - for example, it may be fractures. Already on additional researches it is revealed that the reason which has led to fragility of bones, is a metastasis.
Neuroblastoma - treatment
Treatment of localized neuroblastoma, that is, a tumor that has clear boundaries and no metastases is surgical. After the removal of education, the complete cure of the child is expected.
But in cases when the tumor managed to give metastases, in addition to the operative removal of the original focus of neuroblastoma,
Neuroblastoma - relapse
Unfortunately, like any cancer, neuroblastoma can give relapses.
The forecast in such cases is quite diverse:
- relapse of a local scale (appearance of a new tumor) has a favorable prognosis, since it can be surgically removed;
- in patients with disseminated form of relapse, the prognosis for life is unfavorable, as it is difficult to treat.