Treatment FAQ

what cancer treatment is the best for progressive neuroblastoma cancer

by Gordon Jakubowski Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Chemotherapy may be used as the primary treatment for neuroblastoma. Or, it may be given before surgery to shrink the tumor or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells. "Induction chemotherapy" means the chemotherapy is being used to destroy as many of the cells as possible to cause the cancer to go into remission.

Surgery is the main treatment for neuroblastoma that has not spread. Chemotherapy is often used to treat neuroblastoma. Other treatments may also be used, including radiation therapy, retinoids, immunotherapy, stem cell tranplant and targeted therapy.

Full Answer

What is the best treatment for neuroblastoma?

Several types of treatment can be used for neuroblastoma: Neuroblastoma Surgery. Chemotherapy for Neuroblastoma. Radiation Therapy for Neuroblastoma. High-dose Chemotherapy and Stem Cell Transplant for Neuroblastoma. Retinoid Therapy for Neuroblastoma. Immunotherapy for Neuroblastoma.

Is neuroblastoma a low risk cancer?

Neuroblastoma treatment generally is based on whether the tumor is low, intermediate, or high risk. Treatment options include surgery, observation, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, stem cell rescue, and targeted therapy. Get detailed neuroblastoma treatment information in …

What is the efficacy of proton radiation therapy for neuroblastoma?

Jun 10, 2021 · Neuroblastoma treatment may include surgery, observation, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, radioactive iodine, and high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant and targeted therapy. Treatment also depends on risk category. Learn more in …

Should I get a second opinion for neuroblastoma treatment?

If much of the tumor can’t be removed, the tumor gets bigger after surgery, or if the tumor is causing symptoms, chemotherapy (chemo) is typically given. A common chemo regimen is a combination of carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide. But other combinations may be used.

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What is the most effective treatment for neuroblastoma?

Chemotherapy may be used as the primary treatment for neuroblastoma. Or, it may be given before surgery to shrink the tumor or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells.

Can neuroblastoma stage 4 Be Cured?

Once in relapse, the survival rate drops to less than 5%. There are no known cures for relapsed Neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma has one of the lowest survival rates of all pediatric cancers and accounts for 15% of all pediatric cancer deaths.

How is high risk neuroblastoma treated?

Treatment of High-Risk Neuroblastoma
  1. A regimen of the following treatments: Combination chemotherapy. Surgery. Two courses of high-dose combination chemotherapy followed by stem cell rescue. Radiation therapy. ...
  2. A clinical trial of iodine 131-MIBG therapy or targeted therapy (crizotinib) and other treatments.
Jun 10, 2021

What is the survival rate of stage 4 neuroblastoma?

Conclusions: More than 50% of children with stage 4 NB may survive.

Has any child survived neuroblastoma?

The 5-year survival rate for neuroblastoma in children under age 15 is 82%. However, a child's survival rate depends on many factors, particularly the risk grouping of the tumor. For children with low-risk neuroblastoma, the 5-year survival rate is higher than 95%.

Can you beat neuroblastoma?

The majority of childhood neuroblastoma cases are aggressive, showing survival rates of less than 60% with standard chemotherapy, and a disturbing 50% relapse rate. Once relapsed, there is currently no curative treatment, and for those under five years old, the survival rate is less than ten percent.

Can chemo cure neuroblastoma?

Chemotherapy (chemo) is the use of anti-cancer drugs, which are usually given into a vein. The drugs enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body to reach and destroy cancer cells. This makes chemo useful for treating neuroblastoma, especially if it can't all be removed with surgery.Apr 28, 2021

How many rounds of chemo does it take for neuroblastoma?

Children are typically given 4 to 8 cycles (about 12 to 24 weeks) of chemotherapy before or after surgery. The chemo drugs used usually include carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide.Apr 28, 2021

Is high-risk neuroblastoma curable?

Given the aggressiveness of the tumor type, it is accepted practice to treat high-risk neuroblastoma patients with intensive therapy, to increase the probability of cure.

How long do neuroblastoma survivors live?

Low-risk group: Children in the low-risk group have a 5-year survival rate that is higher than 95%. Intermediate-risk group: Children in the intermediate-risk group have a 5-year survival rate of around 90% to 95%. High-risk group: Children in the high-risk group have a 5-year survival rate of around 50%.Apr 28, 2021

What is the meaning of 5-year survival rate?

ser-VY-vul ...) The percentage of people in a study or treatment group who are alive five years after they were diagnosed with or started treatment for a disease, such as cancer. The disease may or may not have come back.

Can adults survive neuroblastoma?

Neuroblastoma in adults is extremely rare. It affects 1 in 10 million adults per year. Adults with neuroblastoma have a significantly worse outcome than children with neuroblastoma, with a 5-year survival rate average of 36.3% . However, early diagnosis can help treatment be more effective.May 14, 2021

What is the treatment for neuroblastoma?

Treatment options for high-risk neuroblastoma typically include the following: A regimen of chemotherapy, surgery, tandem cycles of myeloablative therapy and stem cell transplant (SCT), radiation therapy, and dinutuximab with interleukin-2 (IL-2)/granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and isotretinoin.

How common is neuroblastoma in children?

More than 650 cases are diagnosed each year in the United States. [ 4, 5] The prevalence is about 1 case per 7,000 live births; the incidence is about 10.54 cases per 1 million per year in children younger than 15 years.

Where does neuroblastoma originate?

Neuroblastoma originates in the adrenal medulla and paraspinal or periaortic regions where sympathetic nervous system tissue is present (refer to Figure 1 ). Enlarge. Figure 1. Neuroblastoma may be found in the adrenal glands and paraspinal nerve tissue from the neck to the pelvis.

What is the cause of neuroblastoma?

Neuroblastoma is sometimes caused by a gene mutation (change) passed from the parent to the child. Signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma include a lump in the abdomen, neck, or chest or bone pain. Tests that examine many different body tissues and fluids are used to diagnose neuroblastoma.

Can neuroblastoma be passed on to a child?

Gene mutations that increase the risk of neuroblastoma are sometimes inherited (passed from the parent to the child). In children with a gene mutation, neuroblastoma usually occurs at a younger age and more than one tumor may form in the adrenal glands or in the nerve tissue in the neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis.

Where does neuroblastoma start?

Neuroblastoma often begins in the nerve tissue of the adrenal glands. There are two adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney in the back of the upper abdomen. The adrenal glands make important hormones that help control heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, and the way the body reacts to stress.

How do you know if you have neuroblastoma?

Signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma include a lump in the abdomen, neck, or chest or bone pain. The most common signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma are caused by the tumor pressing on nearby tissues as it grows or by cancer spreading to the bone.

What is the name of the test that checks the brain, spinal cord, and nerve function?

Neurological exam: A series of questions and tests to check the brain, spinal cord, and nerve function. The exam checks a person’s mental status, coordination, ability to walk normally, and how well the muscles, senses, and reflexes work. This may also be called a neuro exam or a neurologic exam.

What is a catecholamine test?

Urine catecholamine studies: A test in which a urine sample is checked to measure the amount of certain substances, vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA), that are made when catecholamines break down and are released into the urine.

Why do they remove cells during a biopsy?

Cells and tissues are removed during a biopsy so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. The way the biopsy is done depends on where the tumor is in the body. Sometimes the whole tumor is removed at the same time the biopsy is done.

Do children with neuroblastoma need to be treated?

Children at low risk usually don’t need very intensive treatment to cure the neuroblastoma. In fact, some children (especially young infants with small tumors) might not need to be treated at all because some of these neuroblastomas will mature or go away on their own.

Is neuroblastoma a low risk gene?

Some infants with neuroblastoma that has spread throughout the body can still be considered low risk, especially if their tumor does not have extra copies of MYCN or other unfavorable features.

What is it called when neuroblastoma comes back?

If neuroblastoma comes back after initial treatment, it is known as a recurrence or relapse . Treatment of recurrent neuroblastoma depends on many factors, including the initial risk group, where the cancer recurs, and what treatments have been used.

What is the treatment for cancer in children?

Children at high risk require more aggressive treatment, which often includes chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, stem cell transplant, immunotherapy, and retinoid therapy. Treatment is often done in 3 phases. Induction: The goal of this phase is to get the cancer into remission by destroying or removing as much of it as possible.

What is the best treatment for neuroblastoma?

Cancer vaccines are another form of immunotherapy. They train the immune system to identify and destroy neuroblastoma cells lurking in the body after chemotherapy. We have the most experience in the world with cancer vaccines for children with neuroblastoma.

Can neuroblastoma be treated?

Most children with neuroblastoma receive one or more forms of treatment. For those with low-risk disease, surgery may be all that is required. In some very young children with neuroblastoma that has a low chance of progressing or coming back, we watch the disease to see if the cancer resolves on its own.

What is immunotherapy for neuroblastoma?

This form of immunotherapy is typically used in people with neuroblastoma that persists despite surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy . Thanks to these antibody therapies, many children with neuroblastoma who once would have been told they were out of treatment options are now long-term survivors of the disease. Your doctor will let you know if your child is a candidate for antibody therapy. It is given by IV on an outpatient basis so your child doesn’t have to spend extra time in the hospital. These antibodies are available through clinical trials at MSK Kids as well as other hospitals across the country and around the world. We have been able to bring the fruits of our research to children everywhere. We have the largest and longest experience in the world creating and evaluating antibody therapies for neuroblastoma.

What is the name of the antibody used to treat neuroblastoma?

Naxitamab (Hu3F8) Since the 1980s, MSK Kids doctors have treated children with neuroblastoma with an antibody called 3F8. It attaches to neuroblastoma cells and helps focus a patient’s own immune system — especially white blood cells — on attacking neuroblastoma cells. Conventional 3F8 is made from mouse cells.

What is the bispecific antibody for neuroblastoma?

MSK Kids scientists have combined naxitamab with a second antibody , HuOKT3, to create what is known as a bispecific antibody. It is capable of attaching to two sites on neuroblastoma cells. HuOKT3 activates a type of immune cell called a T cell. A clinical trial at MSK is assessing the use of this bispecific antibody in people with recurrent or persistent neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, and other solid tumors with a protein called GD2 on the surface.

Do you have to wear a mask at MSK?

Patients and visitors must continue to wear masks while at MSK, including people who are fully vaccinated. MSK is offering COVID-19 vaccines to all patients age 12 and over. To schedule or learn more, read this.

Does radiation kill cancer cells?

Pinpoint Radiation Therapy. While effective in killing cancer cells, radiation therapy also harms healthy nearby organs and tissue. At MSK, we are reluctant to use it in children unless absolutely necessary. We offer proton therapy for neuroblastoma instead.

Treatments for low-risk neuroblastoma that recurs

Children first treated for low-risk neuroblastoma who have a recurrence that is found in one place may be treated with surgery or chemotherapy or both.

Treatments for intermediate-risk neuroblastoma that recurs

Children first treated for intermediate-risk neuroblastoma who have a recurrence that is found in one place may be treated with surgery. Chemotherapy may also be given.

Treatments for high-risk neuroblastoma that recurs

Children first treated for high-risk neuroblastoma who have a recurrence or who have refractory disease (neuroblastoma that does not respond to initial induction chemotherapy) may be treated with a variety of different treatments. One of the most effective regimens is chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy.

Neuroblastoma that recurs in the central nervous system (CNS)

Children who have neuroblastoma that recurs in the central nervous system (CNS, or the brain and spinal cord) may have surgery to remove the tumour. Radiation therapy is usually given after surgery.

Clinical trials

Children with cancer may be treated in a clinical trial. Clinical trials look at new and better ways to prevent, find and treat cancer. Find out more about clinical trials.

Response to treatment

Knowing how well neuroblastoma responds to treatment helps doctors decide whether or not treatment can be stopped or more treatment is needed. Response to treatment is monitored using imaging tests. MIBG and PET scans are used for measuring the primary tumour and any spread to bone, bone marrow, lymph node or soft tissue.

Expert review and references

American Cancer Society. Neuroblastoma. Atlanta, GA: 2014: http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003125-pdf.pdf.

Treatments for low-risk neuroblastoma

Treatments for low-risk neuroblastoma include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Learn about treatment options for low-risk neuroblastoma.

Treatments for intermediate-risk neuroblastoma

Treatments for intermediate-risk neuroblastoma include chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. Learn about treatment options.

Treatments for high-risk neuroblastoma

Treatments for high-risk neuroblastoma include chemotherapy, surgery, stem cell transplant, radiation, retinoids and immunotherapy. Learn about treatments.

Treatments for stage 4S neuroblastoma

There is no standard treatment for stage 4S neuroblastoma. Many children may not need to have any treatment. Learn about treatment options.

Treatments for recurrent neuroblastoma

Treatments for recurrent neuroblastoma are based on the risk group given to the cancer when it was first diagnosed. Learn about treatments by risk group.

Does chemo help with neuroblastoma?

Neuroblastoma often spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver, bones or lungs, before it is diagnosed. Chemotherapy travels all through the body, and that makes it effective in treating neuroblastoma.

What is the future of neuroblastoma?

Children’s Cancer Hospital is leading into the future of neuroblastoma treatment by developing innovative targeted therapies. These agents are specially designed to treat each cancer’s specific genetic/molecular profile to help your child’s body fight the disease. Many of the doctors who treat neuroblastoma at Children’s Cancer Hospital are dedicated researchers who have pioneered and actively lead national and international clinical trials with novel targeted agents.

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