Can neuroblastoma be cured?

Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
Updated on September 10, 2024
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Neuroblastoma is a malignant tumor that often grows rapidly. In the early stages of the disease, it can easily invade surrounding tissues and nerves, making it very difficult to completely remove the tumor through surgery. In most cases, even after surgical treatment, there is a high tendency for recurrence in children, making it difficult to achieve a clinical cure. For most patients with neuroblastoma, early post-surgical treatment involving high doses of radiotherapy and chemotherapy can effectively reduce the likelihood of tumor recurrence and appropriately prolong the patient’s lifespan. This helps in extending the lifespan and improving the quality of life to some extent, but generally, the final prognosis remains poor.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Is calcification of neuroblastoma good?

In clinical practice, although calcification is a relatively favorable phenomenon, the overall condition of neuroblastoma does not change significantly because of it. Therefore, it is still not a good sign. For neuroblastoma, whether calcification occurs or not, it remains a form of tumor. Only through early surgical treatment can the problem be fundamentally resolved, otherwise, there is a tendency for recurrence and metastasis to occur later on. Moreover, it is important to note that regardless of whether the tumor calcifies, its nature does not change. Only fundamental treatment can bring better hope, so calcification does not lead to very good outcomes.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Age of onset of neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma, typically arises from primitive neural crest cells, is more commonly found in the sympathetic ganglia and adrenal medulla. There is no specific age for the onset of neuroblastoma, but research indicates that it is more commonly diagnosed in children. The exact causative factors of neuroblastoma are not yet fully understood, but it is widely believed to involve congenital genetic factors, including acquired genetic mutations. Clinically, the presentation largely depends on the location of the tumor, the age at diagnosis, and the degree of malignancy of the tumor. In most cases, the tumor originates in the abdominal cavity, with a higher occurrence in the adrenal glands in children.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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How to diagnose neuroblastoma?

For neuroblastoma, the final diagnosis requires the patient to undergo surgical treatment. During the surgery, the neuroblastoma is completely excised, and a small amount of tumor tissue is retained for pathological sectioning. The diagnosis is determined based on the results of the pathological examination, which assesses the specific cells of the neuroblastoma, whether it is benign or malignant, and its level of malignancy. This also determines how the patient will receive subsequent treatments like radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In addition to relying on pathological examinations, most neuroblastoma patients can also undergo more thorough examinations. In most cases, elevated levels of catecholamines and their metabolites can be found in the blood or urine of neuroblastoma patients, significantly higher than that of the normal population.

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Written by Kang Li
Neurosurgery
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Symptoms of Neuroblastoma

Typical symptoms of neuroblastoma include anemia and fatigue, excitement, no weight gain or weight loss, or irregular fever. The initial symptoms in the course of a short disease are not typical. Early diagnosis is difficult. Nonspecific symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, joint pain. Those occurring within the skull display a bit of central nervous system cursing symptoms and symptoms of intracranial hypertension. Main manifestation. Occurrence outside the skull depends on the location of the tumor and the metastatic sites. Involvement of the thoracic cavity can cause chest and back pain and difficulty breathing, involvement of the abdominal cavity is characterized by abdominal distension, constipation, dysentery, and involvement of the spinal canal manifests as reduced strength in the trunk and limbs, and motor and sensory disturbances.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Is neuroblastoma hereditary?

Neuroblastoma has a partial genetic predisposition, but current research has not definitively determined the extent or probability of its heritability. For modern neuroblastoma, its origin is primarily associated with genetic mutations or chromosomal changes. Factors such as smoking, drinking, and drug use by the mother during pregnancy can severely harm the fetus and potentially lead to the development of neuroblastoma. Sometimes, excessive radiation or the misuse of certain drugs can also cause neuroblastoma. Therefore, while there is a certain genetic tendency for neuroblastoma, it is not the main factor.