Neuroblastoma Summary Neuroblastoma is a cancer that forms in your nerve tissue. It usually begins in the adrenal glands, which sit atop your kidneys. It may also begin in your neck, chest or spinal cord. The cancer often begins in early childhood. Sometimes it begins before a child is born. By the time doctors find the cancer, it has usually spread to other parts of the body. The most common symptoms are A lump in the abdomen, neck or chest Bulging eyes Dark circles around the eyes Bone pain Swollen stomach and trouble breathing in babies Painless, bluish lumps under the skin in babies Inability to move a body part Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, biologic therapy, or a combination. Biologic therapy boosts your body’s own ability to fight cancer. Sometimes before giving treatment, doctors wait to see whether symptoms get worse. This is called watchful waiting. NIH: National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute Array After chemotherapy – discharge Catecholamines – urine MIBG scintiscan Neuroblastoma Find an Expert American Cancer Society American Cancer Society Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute Encyclopedia Catecholamine blood test Ganglioneuroblastoma Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Neuroblastoma National Institutes of Health Reference Desk Dictionary of Cancer Terms National Cancer Institute Related Issues Do We Know What Causes Neuroblastoma? American Cancer Society Neuroblastoma in Children: Just Diagnosed Information CureSearch for Children’s Cancer Start Here General Information about Neuroblastoma National Cancer Institute Neuroblastoma Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Neuroblastoma Nemours Foundation Neuroblastoma – Childhood American Society of Clinical Oncology What Is Neuroblastoma? American Cancer Society Genetics Genetics Home Reference: neuroblastoma National Library of Medicine Diagnosis and Tests How Is Neuroblastoma Diagnosed? American Cancer Society Neuroblastoma Screening National Cancer Institute Stages of Neuroblastoma National Cancer Institute VMA Test American Association for Clinical Chemistry Journal Articles Neuroblastoma Treatments and Therapies Treatment Option Overview (Neuroblastoma) National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for Neuroblastoma National Cancer Institute Patient Handouts Understanding Chemotherapy National Cancer Institute What to Know about External Beam Radiation Therapy National Cancer Institute Statistics and Research What Are the Key Statistics about Neuroblastoma? American Cancer Society What’s New in Neuroblastoma Research and Treatment? American Cancer Society