Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that starts in the nerve cells. The disease often starts in the adrenal glands which sit directly on top of the kidneys. It can also occur in the nerve tissue of the abdomen, chest, spine or neck. About 1 out of 3 neuroblastomas start in the adrenal glands, while about 1 out of 4 start in the abdomen.

Neuroblastoma is most common among children younger than five years old. The disease can sometimes develop before birth and if so, is usually found during a pregnancy ultrasound. In some cases among children who are six months old or younger, the disease may go away without treatment. In most cases, neuroblastoma is found when the tumor begins to grow and cause signs or symptoms. By the time the tumor is found, the cancer has usually metastasized and grown into other parts of the body.

Key statistics for neuroblastoma:

·         Most common cancer in infants (less than 1 year old).

·         Accounts for about 6 percent of all cancers in children.

·         There are about 700 new cases of neuroblastoma each year in the United States.

·         The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 1 to 2 years.

·         In rare cases, neuroblastoma is detected by ultrasound even before birth.

·         Almost 90 percent of cases are diagnosed by age 5.

·         Neuroblastoma is very rare in people over the age of 10 years.

·         In about 2 of 3 cases, the disease has already spread to the lymph nodes or to other parts of the body when it is diagnosed.

The signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma vary depending on which body part is affected. Neuroblastoma most commonly affects the abdomen and may cause signs and symptoms such as abdominal pain, a mass under the skin that isn't tender when touched, changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, or swelling in the legs.  If neuroblastoma is affecting the chest, a person may experience signs and symptoms such as wheezing, chest pain, or changes to the eyes, including drooping eyelids and unequal pupil size.

Other signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma may include lumps of tissue under the skin, eyeballs that seem to protrude from the sockets (proptosis), dark circles around the eyes, back pain, fever, unexplained weight loss, or bone pain.

Risk factors for neuroblastoma:

·         Age. Neuroblastoma is most common among young children. However, it is still very rare. It is also very rare in people older than 10 years old.

·         Hereditary. Most neuroblastomas do not seem to be inherited, however, in about 1 to 2 percent of cases, children inherit an increased risk of developing the disease from a parent.