Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that develops in nerve tissues. Neuroblastoma generally affects children who are below five years of age, but it can also occur, though very rarely, in older children.

Q1. What are the different stages of Neuroblastoma?

Neuroblastoma is categorized into 4 stages. They are:

·         Stage L1

The stage with the lowest risk as the cancerous tumor has not spread to other parts of the body.

·         Stage L2

In this stage, though the cancer is limited to only one part of the body but it can spread to other lymph nodes.

·         Stage M

This stage carries the highest possible risk as the cancer cells spread to other parts of the body.

·         Stage MS

This is a special category of Neuroblastoma and affects children who are eighteen months of age or younger.

Q2. What are the symptoms of Neuroblastoma?

Symptoms of Neuroblastoma depend on the stage and location of the tumor in the body. Some Symptoms are Bulging or dark circles under the eye, Lumps under the skin, Cough and fever along with fatigue, Pale Skin, Bloated belly that is painful, Young babies might face trouble while breathing, Higher Blood Pressure with an increased heartbeat, etc.

Q3. How is neuroblastoma diagnosed?

Neuroblastoma can be diagnosed through the following tests: Blood and Urine Test, Bone Marrow Biopsy, Biopsy, MRI scan, CT scan, Ultrasound, MIBG scan, Chest or abdominal X-Ray.

Q4. What are the treatments of neuroblastoma?

Neuroblastoma treatments depend on the stage and spread of the cancer cells. The treatments are: Chemotherapy, Radiation treatment, Surgery to remove the tumor, Immunotherapy, Stem cell transplant and various medications.

Q5. Can neuroblastoma be prevented?

Neuroblastoma cannot be prevented as such, but if the parents have had neuroblastoma during their childhood, then it can be predicted through genetic testing.