Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is the most common childhood intra-abdominal tumor arising from neural crest cells. Close to half of the patients are metastatic at presentation. Its inexplicable behavior, from spontaneous regression in infants to metastatic aggression in older children, has always been at the core of ongoing research. The clinical presentation depends on the site, and metastatic disease is present. Over the last decade, there has been significant progress in diagnosis, staging, risk stratification, response assessment and therapy of neuroblastoma. A risk stratification system has enabled intensifying treatment for the highest-risk patients while reducing therapy in low-risk patients.