Neuroblastoma

Treatment

Mayo Clinic's experienced specialists with expertise in childhood cancers work together as a team to create a customized neuroblastoma treatment plan, giving your child access to the latest treatment options. Early stage neuroblastoma treatment may involve only tumor removal surgery. When the cancer is more advanced, a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be needed.

Surgery

Mayo Clinic's pediatric cancer surgeons have significant experience and expertise in performing neuroblastoma tumor removal surgeries, which are often challenging procedures. Surgical techniques vary, depending on the tumor's location, and may also involve removing the surrounding lymph nodes. If the tumor is too large to be removed completely, then a biopsy is done, followed by chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy

Courses of chemotherapy drugs given through a vein (intravenously) or by mouth (orally) can destroy cancerous cells. Chemotherapy given before surgery may shrink the tumor, making surgery more likely to succeed.

Radiation therapy

At Mayo Clinic, pediatric radiation oncology experts provide state-of-the-art treatment options, including intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT), and image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT). These forms of radiation allow the radiation oncologist to minimize the high-dose radiation applied to nearby healthy tissue as well as ensure the safety and accuracy of treatment. External beam radiation is also aimed at localized regions near the tumor site to kill cancerous lymph node tissue.

Autologous stem cell transplant

An autologous transplant is performed by using stem cells (healthy cells that renew and repair tissue) from the child's own body to replenish the supply of healthy cells. Before the transplant, patients may receive a high-dose chemotherapy regimen (conditioning) to prepare the body for the transplant.

Retinoid therapy

Neuroblastoma cells are sensitive to a type of retinoic acid. Retinoids are chemical substances with a similar composition to vitamin A that may help some cancer cells convert back to healthy, normal cells when taken by mouth as a pill.

Experimental treatments

In addition to standard treatment, you may choose to have your child receive experimental therapies such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Immunotherapy attempts to boost the ability of the body's own immune system to seek out and destroy tumors. Targeted therapy involves treatment with drugs and other substances that destroy cancer cells. Your treatment team can help determine if your child qualifies as a clinical trial participant.