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Neuroblastoma: A Tough Nut to Crack

Because of the heterogeneous biology of neuroblastoma, its clinical behavior and prognosis range from near uniform survival to high risk for fatal demise. Significant advances in our knowledge of neuroblastoma biology have led to improved prognostic stratification and appropriate tailoring of therapy, although our evolving molecular understanding has yet to translate fully into novel therapies.

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 A new era for treating high-risk neuroblastoma

There are many promising avenues of research into neuroblastoma. It's not just about discovering new treatments but also fine-tuning and improving how we use the treatments we already have. Some of these avenues include testing whether combining different chemotherapy drugs could increase the effectiveness of treatment and whether giving existing drugs at different times could make them more effective. With each new discovery, scientists hope to make incremental improvements in survival rates for neuroblastoma.

Articles of Interest

Neuroblastoma

In the discipline of pediatric cancer biology, neuroblastoma signifies an oncologic conundrum given the clinical range with which it presents. Prognosis correlates with age and the degree of differentiation, and thus, outcomes vary from high rates of survival (with even possible tumor regression) to recurrence and mortality. While the standard of treatment is chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgical resection, there is growing evidence that aggressive neuroblastomas are resistant to our therapies.

Neuroblastoma Facts

Neuroblastoma can begin anywhere in the body, but is most commonly found in the adrenal gland, located on top of the kidney. Other common locations for neuroblastoma include the neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis, near the spine. Neuroblastoma can spread to other areas of the body, including the bone marrow, bones, and lymph nodes. Neuroblastoma usually occurs in infants and young children. It is uncommon in older children and teenagers. About 7 out of every 100 children with cancer will have neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma: When Differentiation Goes Awry

Neuroblastoma is a leading cause of cancer-related death in children. Accumulated data suggest that differentiation arrest of the neural crest derived sympathoadrenal lineage contributes to neuroblastoma formation. The developmental arrest of these cell types explains many biological features of the disease, including its cellular heterogeneity, mutational spectrum, spontaneous regression, and response to drugs that induce tumor cell differentiation.

A mother’s battle with neuroblastoma

The devastating impact of this rare childhood cancer is a storyline in Coronation Street, but for Adam Hay’s family it’s been reality.

It Started With A Girl…

On March 9th, 2005, Isabella Joanne Santos came into the world. Her first two years were filled with memories and milestones just like every other child. In the summer of 2007, she began to complain of frequent back and stomach pain. After months of misdiagnosis, an MRI revealed a tumor in her abdomen and showed the disease had spread to her bone marrow. On October 4, 2007, she was diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma.

Spontaneous regression of neuroblastoma

Neuroblastomas are characterized by heterogeneous clinical behavior, from spontaneous regression or differentiation into a benign ganglioneuroma, to relentless progression despite aggressive, multimodality therapy. Indeed, neuroblastoma is unique among human cancers in terms of its propensity to undergo spontaneous regression. The strongest evidence for this comes from the mass screening studies conducted in Japan, North America and Europe and it is most evident in infants with stage 4S disease.

St. Jude scientists solve mystery of how the drug retinoic acid works to treat neuroblastoma

Why retinoic acid is effective in this setting but not against primary tumors, has been speculated about for nearly 50 years. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists resolved the mystery in a new study, showing retinoic acid uses a novel mechanism to kill metastasized neuroblastoma. The drug “hijacks” a normal developmental pathway to trigger cancer cell death.

Study Confirms Dinutuximab Extends Life for Children with High-Risk Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is a childhood cancer of immature nerve cells. It’s rare, with only 800 children diagnosed each year in the United States, mainly infants and those under 5 years old. The disease is called high-risk when it has certain features that indicate it is aggressive, such as if it has spread from its original location. Approximately half the children diagnosed each year have high-risk disease.

Warrior Walt & his Battle with Stage IV High-Risk Neuroblastoma

Walt, 22 months old, was diagnosed with stage IV high-risk neuroblastoma on July 24th, 2019. Walt and his family are Native Americans, part of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indian Tribe in Wisconsin.

Woman who had pioneering cancer treatment 18 years ago still in remission

Researchers say woman treated for neuroblastoma as a child is longest known survivor after having CAR T-cell therapy.

Resources

Band of Parents

Band of Parents is a grassroots, nonprofit organization that funds innovative research and clinical trials for neuroblastoma, helping increase the survival rate for this childhood cancer. We are a support network for the newly diagnosed and their families as they go through treatment. Our goal as parents is to fast track a cure using less toxic, targeted therapies.

Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation

CNCF was created in 2000 by the family and friends of Nick Tallungan, who at 10 years old, lost his courageous battle with neuroblastoma. One brave child motivated us to make a difference – for all families affected by this disease. Today, CNCF is a global foundation representing hundreds of families. Our mission: to help fund a cure for neuroblastoma. T

Neuroblastoma Australia

We believe every child diagnosed with neuroblastoma deserves to grow up and lead a long and healthy life

Neuroblastoma Info

From diagnosis to treatment and beyond, here you’ll find the information you need to help guide you and your child along their treatment journey.

Neuroblastoma UK

Wanting there to be more positive outcomes for children with neuroblastoma is the reason why we at Neuroblastoma UK work here.

SIOPEN Neuroblastoma Research Network

The purpose of the Association is to perform and facilitate clinical, translational and basic research for children and adolescents with neuroblastoma in European countries as well as worldwide in order to improve the outcome of these patients.

The Neuroblastoma Children’s Cancer Society

The mission of the Neuroblastoma Children’s Cancer Society is to cure neuroblastoma and its related childhood cancers, as well as to improve the quality of life for patients, survivors, and their families.

Blog about neuroblastoma research

This blog is about neuroblastoma biology, its research challenges, and people and media perception of this disease.

Children with Cancer UK

Neuroblastoma is the most common form of embryonal tumour. Embryonal tumours are characterised by the proliferation of tissue that is normally only seen in the developing embryo. They are mainly seen in very young children.

ACCO

Neuroblastoma is a solid cancer of the nerve tissue of the sympathetic nervous system. It often begins in the adrenal glands, which are small glands on top of each kidney. It can also begin in the chest, in nerve tissue near the spine in the neck, or in the spinal cord.

Cancer.net

Clinical trials are underway to study the use of chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or other drugs. Researchers hope that these drug combinations will increase the effectiveness and decrease the side effects of induction treatment.

Cancer.org

Neuroblastoma is a cancer that starts in certain very early forms of nerve cells, most often found in an embryo or fetus. (The term neuro refers to nerves, while blastoma refers to a cancer that starts in immature or developing cells). This type of cancer occurs most often in infants and young children.

EyeWiki

Neuroblastoma is a tumor of neural crest origin, and primarily affects children. It is the most common extra-cranial solid tumor in children. It frequently metastasizes to the orbit, and ocular signs and symptoms may be the first presentation of the tumor.

StatPearls

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most frequently-occurring extracranial childhood tumor. It is classified as an embryonal neuroendocrine tumor, originating from neural crest progenitor cells. Hence, it can occur anywhere along the sympathetic nervous system, including the superior cervical, paraspinal, and celiac ganglia; the majority arise in the adrenal glands.