Neuroblastoma is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that develops
from nerve tissue. It usually occurs in infants and children.
Neuroblastoma can occur in many areas of the body. It develops
from the tissues that form the sympathetic nervous system. This
is the part of the nervous system that controls body functions,
such as heart rate and blood pressure, digestion, and levels of
certain hormones. Most neuroblastomas begin in the abdomen in
the adrenal gland or next to the spinal cord, or in the chest.
Neuroblastomas can spread to the bones, such as in the face,
skull, pelvis, shoulders, arms, and legs. It can also spread to
bone marrow, liver, lymph nodes, skin, and around the eyes
(orbits). The cause of the tumor is unknown. Neuroblastoma is
most commonly diagnosed in children before age 5. Each year
there are around 700 new cases in the United States. The
disorder occurs in approximately 1 out of 100,000 children and
is slightly more common in boys. In most patients, the
neuroblastoma has already spread when it