What are the effects & signs?
Symptoms of neuroblastoma will depend on where the tumour is located. Symptoms may not be present at all or they may be vague. Vague symptoms reported in neuroblastoma include tiredness, loss of appetite, fevers and non-specific pain. Symptoms related directly to the tumour will depend on where it is. Abdominal tumours may cause -:
- Abdominal swelling.
- Abdominal pain or discomfort.
- Spinal cord compression, causing leg weakness.
Neuroblastomas in the chest may cause -:
- Breathing difficulties.
- Chest pain.
- Secondary chest infection.
- Spinal cord compression, causing leg weakness.
Tumours in the neck may cause -:
- Swelling in the neck.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Spinal cord compression causing arm and leg weakness.
Neuroblastoma can invade the bone marrow and cause bone marrow failure - this means that the bone marrow cannot do its job of producing enough red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets to replenish the blood. Symptoms include -:
- Anaemia due to low red cell count.
- Increased number or severity of infections due to reduced white cell production.
- Easy bruising or bleeding due to reduced platelets.
Neuroblastoma often spreads to bones (as well as bone marrow) and causes symptoms of -:
- Bone pain.
- Limp.
- Lump on bone.
- Eye swelling if bones around eyes involved.
Children with neuroblastoma can have high blood pressure at diagnosis because -:
- The tumour causes pressure on the kidney.
- Production of catecholamines by the neuroblastoma.
Para-spinal neuroblastomas may grow into the spinal cord and cause compression of the spinal cord, which can cause difficulty walking and bladder and bowel problems. These tumours often need to be treated urgently with chemotherapy or surgery to try and prevent progression of symptoms. Recovery of spinal cord function is variable, but generally children recover better if treatment begins soon after symptoms first develop.
Indicators of severe functional restriction
- Para-spinal tumour with neurological symptoms or signs - walking and continence may be affected.
- The child is in the high risk group.
- undergoing stem cell transplant.
- Gastrostomy feeding.
