Symptoms of neuroblastoma in children

Neuroblastoma is common in infants and under 5 years of age because it can be formed before birth.
Accordingly, in many cases, neuroblastoma can be detected during ultrasound during pregnancy. However, neuroblastomas are often detected after the cancer has spread to other parts of the body such as lymph nodes (small pea-shaped organs that help fight infections), liver, lungs, and bones. and bone marrow (porous, red tissue, on the inside of large bones).

Neuroblastoma is common in infants and under 5 years of age. Photo: Curriculum of Pham Ngoc Thach Medical College.

A neuroblastoma is a dense tumor that forms in nerve cells outside the brain of infants and young children. It can form in nerve tissue near the neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis and is most common in the adrenal glands (located on the top of both kidneys). The function of this gland is to create hormones that help control the body's functions such as heart rate and blood pressure.

Neuroblasts are immature neurons found in unborn babies. Normal nerve cells will develop into either nerve cells or adrenal medullary cells (cells found at the center of the adrenal glands) but when neurons do not mature properly they form. Neuroblastoma. There are also cases where babies are born with small clusters of neurons but later they become normal nerve cells and do not become cancerous. And immature neuroblastoma can continue to grow and form tumors.

Symptoms of disease

Many symptoms of neuroblastoma are caused by pressure from tumors or if the cancer has metastasized to the bone, the child will experience bone pain leading to limping, not wanting to walk or being unable to walk. In addition, there are the following symptoms:

A bulge or a lump in the abdomen, chest, neck or pelvis.

Skin lesions or small subcutaneous lumps with blue or purple patches.

If the cancer spreads to the back of the eyeball, the eyeball protrudes forward (the eyes protrude) and there are dark circles around the eyes.

Abnormal changes in the eye. Examples: Dark-eyed eyes, drooping eyelids, pupils shrinking, vision changes, or the color of irises.

Chest pain, shortness of breath or persistent coughing.

Pain in hands, feet or other bones.

Back pain, limb weakness, numbness, or leg paralysis if the tumor has spread to the spinal cord.

Fever and anemia due to reduced blood cells.

Persistent diarrhea or hormone-induced hypertension.

Abnormal eye movement and sudden muscle twitching, most likely originating from abnormal immune systems caused by the disease.

In rare cases, children with neuroblastoma do not have any changes or the cause of a symptom may be due to another condition, not cancer. Therefore, if the child shows any abnormal symptoms, it is necessary to take them to medical facilities for thorough examination and timely treatment.