Diagnosing Neuroblastoma

Many adults are familiar with cancer screening which can include a multitude of tests to see what the likeliness is that a person will develop or already has developed cancer. For example, once women reach the age of 40, they are recommended to get mammograms regularly. This is a diagnostic test that specifically screens for breast cancer. Likewise, men are encouraged to be screened for their risk of developing prostate cancer. Now, there are other factors that contribute to the reasoning for cancer screening but this gives you a general idea.

For children, there really is no good way to screen for neuroblastoma. Fortunately, most children are diagnosed before the age of one year but are usually diagnosed because of the signs and symptoms that present in children. The National Cancer Institute explains that there is a 24-hour urine collection that may be done for a child to help screen for neuroblastoma but this screening "does not decrease the [child's] chance of dying from the disease." However, if a child is diagnosed because of screening done before six months of age, the child will most likely have a good prognosis with the neuroblastoma that had developed.

Other diagnostic testing is done to rule out other causes and/or to confirm the diagnosis of neuroblastoma. Simple testing of urine or blood may be done as well as imaging studies which may include: a MRI, CT scan, X-rays, an ultrasound, or a bone scan. A biopsy may be done in order to test the actual tissue to find out an exact diagnosis and to guide any treatment that may be needed. Another test that may be needed and is specific to neuroblastoma is a MIBG. This is when iodine-meta-iodobenzyl-guanidine, a type of radioactive material, is injected into blood to see if the neuroblastoma has spread to other areas of the body or has metastasized.

Once test results are known then treatment plans can be put into place. Next week I will talk more about what the signs and symptoms are for this disease and then will discuss treatment options the following week.

Please, stay tuned!



Sources:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/cancer/neuroblastoma.html#

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/neuroblastoma/Patient/page1/AllPages/Print