Neuroblastoma examination items

Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
Updated on September 09, 2024
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For neuroblastoma, the examination items mainly include the patient's vital signs and physical examination, including detailed examinations to observe if there are any obvious pathological signs. Additionally, it is necessary to inquire about the patient’s medical history, especially past medical history and family history. Main examination items include laboratory tests, routine blood and urine tests, biochemistry, and tumor-related tests. Furthermore, examinations also involve using a cranial CT scan, MRI of the head, and if necessary, an enhanced MRI scan of the head, to further determine the presence of neuroblastoma, as well as its location, quantity, and the relationship between the surrounding tissues, blood vessels, and nerves.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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How to check for neuroblastoma?

For the examination of neuroblastoma, we generally recommend a neurological examination to help determine whether there are any clear positive signs, as well as to inquire about medical history and family history to judge if there are any cases of neuroblastoma among family members. Additionally, detailed laboratory tests, routine blood tests, routine urine tests, and biochemical tests, including tumor-related diagnostics, can help in making assessments. Of course, the most accurate and crucial examinations are CT or MRI scans of the head. If necessary, an enhanced MRI scan of the head can be conducted to further evaluate the location, nature, severity of the tumor, and its relationship with the surrounding neural and vascular tissues, which helps provide a basis for further surgical treatment.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Can neuroblastoma be treated?

Neuroblastoma is the most common tumor in childhood, and it is also the most common in infants and toddlers. Typically, neuroblastoma is a type of neuroendocrine tumor, clinically found often in the adrenal glands or in nervous tissues such as the neck, chest, and abdomen. Currently, neuroblastoma can be effectively classified according to its level of risk into low-risk, intermediate-risk, or high-risk groups. For patients in the low-risk group, surgical treatment can achieve satisfactory results; for patients in the intermediate-risk or high-risk groups, treatment often involves a combination of methods, yet still may not achieve satisfactory results.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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neuroblastoma cure rate

Neuroblastoma is relatively likely to be a malignant tumor, typically characterized by rapid growth of malignant tumors.In the early stages of the disease, it often adheres to surrounding tissues, making it difficult to completely remove through surgery. Even with surgical treatment, the outcomes are generally modest, and recurrence is likely to occur shortly after surgery. Once recurrence occurs, the malignancy of the tumor will continue to increase.For these patients, the prognosis is poor. It is generally recommended to undergo surgical treatment early, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy to potentially extend the patient's lifespan, but it is usually difficult to cure.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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How do you get neuroblastoma?

Currently, there is no consensus on the specific causes of neuroblastoma. In most cases, it is believed to be caused by the failure of primitive myeloid epithelial cells to continue differentiating, which is somewhat linked to congenital genetic factors. Additionally, poor lifestyle choices and exposure to certain chemical carcinogens, including long-term exposure to radiation, can potentially lead to neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a highly malignant tumor that generally grows and develops rapidly. It often adheres to surrounding tissues in the early stages of the disease, making complete surgical removal quite difficult, and typically has a poor prognosis.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Neuroblastoma in children

Neuroblastoma does not specifically concern how old the child is, as it can occur in children during their developmental process, and even in newborns, adolescents, and adults. There is no specific timing required for its occurrence. Therefore, for neuroblastoma, the principle is to initiate treatment as soon as it is detected. Although the prognosis may not be very good, the aim should be to extend the patient's life and reduce suffering as much as possible. After all, no matter the age, the patient is a loved one.