No one at any age deserves to get cancer. But when a cancer targets toddlers, it turns our word inside out. The average age children are diagnosed with Neuroblastoma is 22 months before most have even been potty trained). It's the most common cancer in infants, affecting almost twice as many babies as leukemia. And more than 95% of children with Neuroblastoma are diagnosed by the age of 10. There are about 700 cases of the disease each year in the United States alone.
The cure for Neuroblastoma isn't known. But it's impact is often devastating.
Neuroblastoma is a solid tumor cancer. It develops from tissues that form the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The SNS activates our fight -or-flight response when we feel stressed and helps control body functions like heart rate, blood pressure and digestion. Common places Neuroblastoma starts are the adrenal glands above the kidneys or in nerve tissues in the abdomen, neck, chest or pelvis.
While many doctors suspect Neuroblastoma is caused by an accidental growth that happens during normal development of the SNS, it's cause is ultimately unknown. Unfortunately, what it does to those who get it is more than clear. Almost 70% of children who are diagnosed with Neuroblastoma have an advanced stage of the disease. And less than 40% of those with this advanced disease live five years. Neuroblastoma is the leading pediatric cancer killer.
While many doctors suspect Neuroblastoma is caused by an accidental growth that happens during normal development of the SNS, it's cause is ultimately unknown. Unfortunately, what it does to those who get it is more than clear. Almost 70% of children who are diagnosed with Neuroblastoma have an advanced stage of the disease. And less than 40% of those with this advanced disease live five years. Neuroblastoma is the leading pediatric cancer killer.
