Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is a tumor derived from primitive cells of the sympathetic nervous system and is the most common solid tumor in childhood. Approximately one-half of children have localized tumors that can be cured with surgery alone. These favorable tumors are characterized by near-triploid karyotypes with whole chromosome gains. These tumors rarely have structural rearrangements, and they usually express the TrkA neurotrophin receptor. Patients with these tumors are more likely to be less than 1 year of age. The remaining children have widespread metastatic disease or quite large, aggressive, localized tumors. These unfavorable tumors are characterized by structural changes, including deletions of 1p or 11q, unbalanced gain of 17q and/or amplification of the MYCN protooncogene. They might also express the TrkB neurotrophin receptor and its ligand, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). These patients are usually older than 1 year of age, and have a poor long-term survival rate of approximately 30%.