MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Ganglioneuroblastoma

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Ganglioneuroblastoma

Contents of this page:
Definition Causes, incidence, and risk factors Symptoms Signs and tests Treatment	Support Groups Expectations (prognosis) Complications Calling your health care provider

Definition

Ganglioneuroblastoma is a tumor arising from nerve tissue which is intermediate between benign (slow-growing and unlikely to spread) and malignant (fast-growing, aggressive, and likely to spread).

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

This rare tumor has a yearly occurrence of less than 5 per million children.

Tumors of the nervous system vary in the degree of differentiation, which determines how they appear under the microscope and whether or not they are likely to spread.

Benign tumors are less likely to spread. Malignant tumors are aggressive, grow quickly, and often spread. A ganglioneuroma is a benign tumor, while a neuroblastoma (occurring in children more than a year old) is generally malignant.

A ganglioneuroblastoma may be localized to one area or widespread, but is usually less aggressive than a neuroblastoma. The cause is unknown.

Symptoms

Most commonly, a mass can be felt in the abdomen, but this condition may also occur in other parts of the body.

Signs and tests

CT scan and/or MRI scan of the affected area
Surgical biopsy to confirm diagnosis
Specialized blood and urine tests
Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy may be necessary
Bone scan may be necessary
MIBG scan may be necessary

Treatment

Because these tumors are rare, they should be treated at a specialist center by experts who have previous experience with them.

Depending on the specific nature of the tumor, treatment may consist of surgery and possibly chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Support Groups

The stress of illness can often be helped by joining a support group where members share common experiences and problems. See cancer - support group.

Expectations (prognosis)

The prognosis depends on the extent of the tumor and whether or not some areas of the tumor contain the more aggressive cells of a neuroblastoma.

Complications

Invasion of the tumor into surrounding areas -- spread of the tumor
Complications of surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you feel a mass or growth on your child's body. Make sure children receive routine examinations as part of their well child care.

Update Date: 4/23/2004

Updated by: Samuel Blackman, M.D., Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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