ON THIS PAGE: You will learn more about coping with the physical, emotional, social, and financial effects of childhood cancer and its treatment. Use the menu to see other pages.

Every cancer treatment can cause side effects or changes to your child’s body and how they feel. For many reasons, people do not experience the same side effects even when given the same treatment for the same type of cancer. This can make it hard to predict how your child will feel during treatment.

READ MORE BELOW:

ON THIS PAGE: You will read about the scientific research being done to learn more about neuroblastoma and how to treat it. Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about the different treatments doctors use for children with neuroblastoma. Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about how doctors describe the extent of disease in the patient's body. This is called the stage. Use the menu to see other pages.

READ MORE BELOW:

• What is staging?

• The International Neuroblastoma Risk Group Staging System (INRGSS)

ON THIS PAGE: You will find a list of the common tests, procedures, and scans that doctors can use to find out what’s wrong and identify the cause of the problem. Use the menu to see other pages.

Doctors use many tests to find, or diagnose, a tumor. They also do tests to learn if cancer has spread to another part of the body from where it started. If the cancer has spread, it is called metastasis. Doctors may also do tests to learn which treatments could work best.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the changes and medical problems that can be a sign of neuroblastoma. Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the factors that increase the chance of developing neuroblastoma. Use the menu to see other pages.

What are the risk factors for neuroblastoma?

For most types of cancer, a “risk factor” is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Although risk factors can influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do.

ON THIS PAGE:  You will find information about the estimated number of children who will be diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year. You will also read general information on surviving the disease. Remember, survival rates depend on several factors, and no 2 people with a tumor are the same. Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some basic information about this disease and the parts of the body it may affect. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Childhood Neuroblastoma. Use the menu to see other pages. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this entire guide.

Cancer begins when healthy cells change and grow out of control, forming a mass called a tumor. A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread.