Does your little one have these symptoms? Let's talk about Neuroblastoma!

As a mother or father, we all care deeply about our child's health. Sometimes, even a simple fever or aches and pains in a child can be a huge burden on our hearts. Today, we are talking about a cancer that scares parents, but fortunately is very rare, especially in young children. That is neuroblastoma. Even though the name may sound scary, it is important to be fully aware of it.

What exactly is neuroblastoma?

Simply put, Neuroblastoma is a cancer that develops in a part of our nervous system. We have a network of nerves that carry information throughout our body. Think of it like our body's "message system." We call this the `sympathetic nervous system.' Neuroblastoma cancer starts in the cells of this nervous system.

The specialty of this is that more than 90% of patients are children under the age of 5. It is very rare to see a child over the age of 10 develop this disease.

Most often, this cancer starts in two small hormone-producing glands located above the kidneys. These are called the adrenal glands. However, this cancer can start anywhere in the body where nerve cells are found.

The best thing is that there are now very effective treatments for this condition, so children have a good chance of recovering and living healthy lives.

What is the reason for this situation?

Usually, any cancer is caused by certain changes, or mutations, in some of the cells in our body. As a result, those cells start to grow uncontrollably and form tumors.

In neuroblastoma, this happens to a type of immature nerve cell while the baby is still in the womb. These immature cells are called neuroblasts. As a healthy baby grows in the womb, these neuroblasts gradually develop into mature nerve cells, and the rest die off.

But in the body of a child with Neuroblastoma, due to a genetic mutation, these immature neuroblast cells do not die off, but instead accumulate and grow into a cancerous tumor.

What symptoms should we look out for?

The symptoms of this disease can vary greatly. They depend on the location of the cancerous lump, its size, and how far it has spread. Some of the symptoms can also be seen in common illnesses, such as the common cold or a stomach ache, making diagnosis a bit challenging.

"Sometimes the first signs are common things like a child not eating well, feeling lethargic, and having frequent body aches. These can be seen even with a simple viral fever," says a pediatric oncologist. So it's important to be aware of these symptoms.

Two other special features

• Skin spots:In a special type that only occurs in newborns, small blueberry-like bumps may appear on the skin. This is a sign that the cancer has spread to the skin. However, this condition is treatable and often shrinks or heals on its own.
• Hormonal effects: Some neuroblastoma tumors secrete hormones, which can cause symptoms such as persistent diarrhea, fever, high blood pressure, excessive sweating, and flushing of the skin.

How does the doctor diagnose this disease exactly?

As we discussed earlier, many of these symptoms are similar to common illnesses, so diagnosing the condition can be challenging. So your doctor will run several tests to confirm whether your child has this rare cancer.

• Blood and urine tests: These tests look for certain hormones produced by neuroblastoma tumors in the blood or urine.
• Imaging tests: These can help determine the location, size, and spread of the cancer. Scans such as ultrasound, X-ray, CT, PET, or MRI may be used for this.
• Biopsy: Under anesthesia, a small piece of tissue is taken from the lump or bone marrow and examined under a microscope to determine if there are cancer cells.
• MIBG scan: This is a special type of nuclear medicine scan. This test, called ``MIBG scan'', can clearly identify the locations of Neuroblastoma cells.

Along with these tests, things like the child's blood cell count, liver, and kidney function are also checked.

What are the treatments for this?

The treatment a child receives depends on several factors. Children are classified into three risk groups : low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk, depending on the child's age, the stage of the cancer, how far it has spread, and the type of cancer cells. Treatment is planned based on this risk group.

There are several main treatment methods:

• Observation: Don't be surprised, some low-risk, small lumps will shrink or disappear on their own without any treatment. In such cases, doctors will monitor the child very closely.
• Surgery: Complete removal of the lump through surgery.
• Chemotherapy: Giving powerful drugs through a vein or as pills to kill cancer cells or stop them from dividing.
• Radiation therapy: The use of high-energy rays (such as X-rays) to destroy cancer cells.
• Stem cell transplant:A treatment used for high-risk children. In this, the child's own healthy stem cells are collected, high-dose chemotherapy is used to destroy the cancer cells, and then the healthy cells are returned to the body.
• Modern Treatments: There are many new and very successful treatments available today.
• Targeted therapy: Giving drugs that target and block specific proteins or enzymes that help cancer cells grow.
• Immunotherapy: Stimulating the child's own immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.

What are the chances of recovering from this disease?

This is the most important question for parents. The survival rate for neuroblastoma depends on the child's age and risk category.

Therefore, if you notice any suspicious symptoms, the best thing to do is to see your doctor immediately and seek advice.