What Are The Chances Of Surviving Neuroblastoma & What Are Its Stages?

Neuroblastoma is a term used for cancer that arises from undeveloped nerve cells that exist in many areas in our body.⁽¹⁾

When talking about chances of survival, the survival rate is usually determined on the basis of a 5-year survival rate, meaning that, it tells you how many percentages of the children or people diagnosed with cancer (out of a 100) live for 5 years after their cancer was initially diagnosed. The chances of survival from neuroblastoma depend upon various factors. In the case of neuroblastoma with low risk, the chances of survival for an average of 5 years are very good, almost always above 95 percentages. In neuroblastoma with an intermediate risk, they range from 90 to 95 percent. In a high risk, the chances are about 40 to 50 percent.⁽²⁾

In simple terms, the stages can be described as-⁽³⁾

• In this stage, the cancer is in the area where it initially began
• It is present on one half of the body, either left or right
• With the help of surgery, all visible tumor has been completely removed
• Lymph nodes present beyond the tumor are not affected by cancer
• Those present inside the tumor, however, may contain cancer cells

• In this stage, the cancer is in the area where it initially began
• Also, it is present on one side of the body
• However, the complete visible tumor could not be removed through surgery
• Lymph nodes present beyond the tumor do not contain cancer cells, however, those present within the tumor may contain cells of neuroblastoma

• In this stage, the cancer is present in one half of the body
• The tumor may or may not have been removed completely through surgery
• Lymph nodes out of the tumor, but near to the tumor contain cancer cells
• However, cancer has not reached to the other side of the body or anywhere else

In this stage, cancer has not spread to farther parts of the body, but, out of the following conditions, one may be true-

• The cancer is not removed completely through a surgery
• It has crossed to the other side of the body
• It may or may not have reached to the lymph nodes that are close by
• The cancer is in the area where it began
• It is present on one side of the body
• It has reached the lymph nodes that are on the other side of your body but are relatively near
• The cancer is present in the middle part of the body
• It is growing towards both sides
• It may be growing directly or spreading through neighboring lymph nodes
• It cannot be extracted fully with surgery

Cancer has reached to farther sites like lymph nodes, skin, liver, bones, bone marrow, etc.

• This stage is also known as special neuroblastoma
• In this case, the affected child is of the age 1 year
• The cancer is present on one side of the body
• Cancer may have reached to the lymph nodes present on one side of your body, but not on the other side
• It has affected the skin, liver and/or bone marrow
• However, not many bone marrow cells are cancerous
• Imaging tests do not show the presence of cancer in bones or bone marrow

• This is not a formal stage of neuroblastoma
• This term is used to define neuroblastoma that has been previously treated but has resurfaced or recurred
• Cancer may resurface in the same area as it initially began, or it may be in a completely different area

The chances of survival in neuroblastoma depend upon various factors.

References:

Also Read:

• What is Esthesioneuroblastoma or Olfactory Neuroblastoma: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Recovery, Prognosis, Staging
• What is Neuroblastoma, Know its Causes, Stages, Symptoms, Treatment, Prognosis, Complications
• Medulloblastoma Vs Neuroblastoma Differences