How is neuroblastoma treated?

Children with neuroblastoma and their families have special needs. These needs can be met best by cancer centers for children, working closely with the child’s primary care doctor. Treatment in these centers gives you the advantage of having teams of specialists who understand the differences between cancers in adults and those in children, as well as the unique needs of younger people with cancer.

Treating neuroblastoma is complex and often requires the expertise of many different doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. The doctors on this team often include:

• A pediatric cancer surgeon
• A pediatric oncologist (doctor who uses chemotherapy and other medicines to treat childhood cancers)
• A pediatric radiation oncologist (doctor who uses radiation therapy to treat cancer in children)

Many other specialists may be involved in your child’s care as well, including nurse practitioners, nurses, psychologists, social workers, rehabilitation specialists, and other health professionals.

The approach to treatment of neuroblastoma depends on the stage of the cancer, the child's age, and other factors such as the prognostic markers mentioned previously. The types of treatment used may include:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Retinoid therapy
• Radiation therapy
• High-dose chemotherapy/radiation therapy and stem cell transplant
• Immunotherapy

In many cases, more than one type of treatment is needed.

The next few sections describe the types of treatment used for neuroblastomas. This is followed by a discussion of when these treatments are used in different situations.