Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is a form of cancer that occurs in infants and young children. It is rarely found in children older than 10 years. The cells of this cancer usually resemble very primitive developing nerve cells found in an embryo or fetus. (The term neuro indicates "nerves," while blastoma refers to a cancer that affects immature or developing cells).

Neurons (nerve cells) are the main component of the brain and spinal cord and of the nerves that connect them to the rest of the body. These cells are essential for thinking, sensation, and movement. There is a part of the nervous system that we are rarely aware of, called the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion. The sympathetic nervous system is a part of the autonomic nervous system. It includes:

• nerve fibers that run alongside the spinal cord
• clusters of nerve cells called ganglia (plural of ganglion) at certain points along the path of the nerve fibers
• nerve-like cells found in the medulla (center) of the adrenal glands. The adrenals are triangular-shaped glands located above the kidneys. The hormone adrenaline comes from the cells in the adrenal gland.

Most neuroblastomas (about two thirds) start in the abdomen. About one third of neuroblastomas start in the adrenal glands and another third begin in the sympathetic nervous system ganglia of the abdomen. The rest start in sympathetic ganglia of the chest or neck or in the pelvis. Some can start in the spinal cord. Rarely, a neuroblastoma may have spread so extensively by the time it is found that doctors are unable to determine exactly where it started.  For more information, click on the link below.

The Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation helps through  experience with neuroblastoma and network of families and medical professionals, they are committed to use their experience as a tool in supporting the needs of the children and their families and provide funding to the medical community for new and advanced research studies.

Elesha passed away on June 22, 2007.  She was 5 years old.  Click on the link above to read her journal.