Recognizes neuroblastoma, a tumor that grows from young nerve cells

Definition
What is a neuroblastoma?
How common is neuroblastoma?
Signs & symptoms
What are the signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma?
When should I see a doctor?
Cause
What causes neuroblastoma?
Risk factors
What increases my risk for neuroblastoma?
Medicines & Medicines
What are my treatment options for neuroblastoma?
What are the usual tests for neuroblastoma?
Home remedies
What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat neuroblastoma?

Definition

What is a neuroblastoma?

Neuroblastoma is a tumor that grows from young nerve cells that are present in various areas of the body. These tumors most commonly grow in the adrenal medulla (the middle part of the adrenal glands).

How common is neuroblastoma?

Neruroblastoma is one of the more common tumors in children. Children often have these tumors from birth but are often diagnosed too late. This disease accounts for about 10 percent of solid tumor diseases in children.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma?

Symptoms of this disease can vary depending on the location of the tumor. About 2/3 symptoms begin in the stomach or adrenal glands. In general, some of the signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma are:

The body feels weak, lethargic, and weak
Drastic weight loss
A lump appears on the stomach, neck, or chest
Back pain
Chest tumors can cause respiratory or swallowing problems, infections and chronic coughs

Symptoms if the disease has spread (metastasis), namely weakness, pain (usually bone pain), bruising, no appetite, and weight loss. You can also have a fever. Neuroblastoma can cause fleeting jerky and uncontrolled eye movements.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have any signs or symptoms above or any other questions, please consult your doctor. Everyone's body is different. Always consult a doctor to treat your health condition.

Cause

What causes neuroblastoma?

Currently, experts say the cause of neuroblastoma is an abnormality in a gene. Neuroblastoma originates from neuroblastoma - immature nerve cells - part of the fetal development process. At term, neuroblastoma will turn into nerve cells and fibers and cells that cover the adrenal glands.

Most cases of neuroblastoma in adults, already present these immature cells at birth, although in small numbers. In most cases, these osteoblasts will eventually mature or disappear. The rest, will suffer from a tumor known as neuroblastoma. The tumor continues to divide uncontrollably and can develop into cancer.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for neuroblastoma?

The biggest risk factor for neuroblastoma is family history. Yes, children with a family history of neuroblastoma are at higher risk. Even so, until now, the exact cause of neuroblastoma is still being studied further.

Medicines & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are my treatment options for neuroblastoma?

Neuroblastoma therapy depends on the age at diagnosis, stage of disease, tumor location, metastasis, and level of tumor activity. Some of the treatment options for neuroblastoma are:

Drugs (chemotherapy) to kill cancer cells.
Radiation therapy to reduce tumor size and reduce pain.
Surgical removal of the tumor if the tumor has not spread and relieves symptoms when drugs cannot be used for therapy (surgical mitigation).

Children need nutritional intake and emotional support from the family. Currently there is a new type of therapy, namely immunotherapy. Doctors use substances called monoclonal antibodies and vaccines to increase immunity against this disease. This reaction helps the body fight disease. In general, the increase in survival can be as much as 40 percent. In babies under 1 year it can increase up to 90 percent.