Neuroblastoma Research Paper

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Neuroblastoma We schedule annual checkups for it. We take on dietary habits to prevent it. We spend all our lives hoping and praying that we never come across it, but in the dearest of situations some of us cannot escape its path. Regular body cells grow, develop, and die in order to keep our body functioning. The process maintains a certain speed to function, but with cancer, the balance is thrown off. Cells begin to grow out of control and develop the potential to invade other tissues in the body. Usually when DNA is damaged like this, the body can usually repair it, but when cancer is present, this is not possible. There are many types of cancer, but they all start out the same way: Uncontrollable growth. Childhood cancer is the number …show more content…
It has the potential to form before a baby is born, however neuroblastoma is usually found after it has spread to other parts of the body (cancer.net). It may appear near the nerve tissue in the neck, chest, or pelvis, but most often it derives from the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are used to make hormones that help maintain normal body functions such as ones blood pressure and heart rate (cancer.net). Pressure from the tumor is the main cause of neuroblastoma symptoms, but it can also be caused by bone pain if the cancer has spread (cancer.net). Symptoms may include limping, troubled walking, or becoming unable to walk. Other effects may include …show more content…
This usually works for the tumors that have not spread yet. During surgery, doctors look closely for signs indicating that the tumor has spread. Closely located lymph nodes are removed if detected as cancerous. Surgery is either used at the beginning to remove small tumors, or after chemotherapy where the tumors would be smaller and easier to manage(cancer.org). Although it is efficient, surgery can also have serious complications or side effects. Yes it is rare to encounter. but problems such as anesthesia, excess bleeding, infections, and damage to blood vessels, kidneys, or nerves can occur(cancer.org). Another treatment method used to treat neuroblastoma is chemotherapy. Chemo is given in cycles of a period of weeks where anti-cancer drugs are transmitted into the body through a vein, which then enters the bloodstream and travels to destroy cancer cells(cancer.org). Some drugs include carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide(cancer.org). Chemo is the main treatment for neuroblastoma when it has widely spread since it is able to reach the areas such as the lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver, and lungs where the cancer might have spread to(cancer.org). Chemotherapy does kill the cancer cells, but it also damages the bone marrow’s new blood cells, hair follicles, and mouth lining. Some side effects, even though not permanent, include hair loss, mouth sores, vomiting, and diarrhea(cancer.org). If chemotherapy
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