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What is Neuroblastoma? |
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Symptoms
Neuroblastoma is a malignancy which progresses from the nerve cells that are located in specific areas of the body. The condition normally afflicts young children (five years old and younger) and is the most common malignancy in infants. The symptoms depend on which part of the body is affected; more than sixty percent of all cases occur in the midsection (particularly in the region of the adrenaline glands), as indicated by stomach pain, a sensation of bloating, the presence of mass underneath the skin which isn’t tender to the touch, bowel dysfunctions like constipation, frequent urination, and inflammation on the lower limbs. Fifteen percent occur in the chest, accompanied by wheezing, inflammation on the face, droopy eyelids, and differing pupil sizes. Symptoms which indicate neuroblastoma in other parts of the body include lumps beneath the skin, seemingly-protruding eyeballs, scoliosis, fever, bone and back pains, and unusual weight loss.
Causes
Cancer starts when a genetic mutation encourages otherwise healthy cells to keep on growing, without reacting with signals to discontinue its progression. Normal cells follow a life cycle, but malignancies develop and multiply indiscriminately. The buildup eventually leads to a tissue mass, or a tumor. Cells may then break away from the mass and move on to invade other normal tissues. Neuroblastoma starts with the immature nerve cells, initial components of a fetus normal development. As the fetus matures, these cells (neuroblasts) develop into the adrenal glands; but sometimes certain cells do not fully develop, even up to birth. While these often mature or disappear eventually, others evolve into a tumor. Since the condition is most common in young children, doctors believe that the mutation itself begins at pregnancy, or even before conception.
Diagnosis
A physical examination may be conducted to ascertain any visible signs and symptoms, followed by urine or blood tests which search for indications of neuroblastoma, such as abnormally-high levels of specific chemicals (an indication of the malignancy’s inability to process catecholamines). In order to confirm a diagnosis to a young child, the surgeon may take a sample of the tumor from the patient (incisional biopsy) in order to assess the status of the malignancy. If the tumor is localized, the surgeon may extract the mass and send it off for lab analysis (excisional biopsy). A marrow biopsy may also be conducted to assess if the malignancy has affected the bone marrow, the substance wherein blood cells are created.
Treatment Info
Since treating malignancies in children can be quite complicated, the options depend on the success rates and the risks. The tumor may be removed through surgery, or chemotherapy may be prescribed if the tumors are located in multiple regions and on the vital organs. Masses of cancer cells may also be efficiently destroyed with concentrated, focused levels of radiation (radiation therapy), although some of the surrounding healthy cells may be damaged in the process. In patients who carry higher risks for the tumor, autologous stem cell transplantation may be conducted, wherein the child receives a transplant of his own blood stem cells, harvested prior to chemotherapy, and re-injected after it.
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