Neurooblastoma Research Paper

Neuroblastoma “We all know the facts, but they are still worth repeating. It’s our children’s lives these numbers are coldly talking about: Every 16 hours a child with Neuroblastoma dies. There is no known cure for relapsed Neuroblastoma. Nearly 70% of those children first diagnosed with Neuroblastoma have disease that has already metastasized or spread to other parts of the body. When disease has spread at diagnosis and a child is over the age of 2, there is less than a 30% chance of survival,” said by an unknown author (“Quotes” 5). There are many different types of childhood cancer, but one of the more common types is Neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma has many warning signs, but not all are detectable. “Neuroblastoma is a cancer that develops
While the first part of the word, neuro, refers to nerves, and the second part of the word, blastoma, refers to a cancer that affects immature or developing cells (“What” 1). Neuroblastoma starts in the sympathetic nervous system (“What” 1). But Neuroblastomas are cancers that begin in the early nerve cells in the sympathetic nervous system (“What” 2). One out of three Neuroblastomas begin in the person’s adrenal glands (“What” 2). One out of four begins within the sympathetic nerve ganglia located in the abdomen (“What” 2). But the majority of the rest begin in sympathetic ganglia around the spine, in the chest, pelvis or in the neck (“What” 2). “In rare cases, a Neuroblastoma may have spread so widely by the time it is found that doctors cannot tell exactly where it started” (“What” 2). Neuroblastoma is most commonly found in the adrenal glands (Seachrist 1). This cancer occurs commonly in infants and young children (“What” 1). In some cases, Neuroblastoma can be present at birth but it is not detected (“Neuroblastoma” 1). But Neuroblastoma is rarely found in a child older than 10 years old (“What” 1).Neuroblastoma is more common in males than in females (“Neuroblastoma” 1). One of the most famous regressive cancers is Neuroblastoma (Seachrist 1). But Neuroblastoma can sometimes disappear and regress all on its own (“Neuroblastoma” 1). Neuroblastoma accounts for
Neuroblastoma affects the brain and nervous system (Dugdale 1). But signs and symptoms often vary depending on the location of the tumor (Dugdale 1). Usually the first symptoms of Neuroblastoma can be pain, fever, a general sick feeling, loss of appetite and weight loss (Dugdale 1). The later and usually more sever signs include swollen lymph nodes, a lump in the abdomen, enlarged liver and high blood pressure (Dugdale 1). Damage and loss of function of liver, kidney, decreased immunodeficiency and decreased blood cell production are all signs that are linked to Neuroblastoma (Dugdale 2). There are combinations of ways to diagnose cancer and they can be very painful for the patient. Many tests are run to locate the primary tumor (Dugdale 1). These tests include bone x-rays and scans, CT scans, MRIs, biopsy of the tumor and of the bone marrow (Dugdale 2). Other ways to diagnose Neuroblastoma is a hormone test, chest x-rays, and a urine test to find chemical markers (Dugdale 2). But by the time the child is diagnosed, Neuroblastoma has already spread (Dugdale 1). There are multiple stages for every cancer to determine how serious the cancer has