The tumor begins before birth. Somewhere in the developing fetus, neural crest cells that should have matured into adrenal tissue or sympathetic ganglia take a wrong turn, and a child is born harboring a malignancy that may not declare itself for months. Neuroblastoma accounts for roughly 28% of all cancers diagnosed in infants across Europe and the United States. In its gentlest form, it regresses on its own, a fire that puts itself out. In its cruelest, it metastasizes with a velocity that makes oncologists reach for words they would rather not use in front of parents.
This article was originally published on MedicalXpress.com
