Neuroblastoma

Surgery removes the tumor and the tissue around it to ensure no cancer cells are left behind. Whenever possible, our highly skilled pediatric surgeons use minimally invasive techniques, which allow for smaller incisions and a faster recovery.

Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells or stops them from growing, with the goal of keeping cancer from coming back. Most children receive chemotherapy as part of their treatment. Pediatric medical oncologists provide chemotherapy, usually through an IV infusion. 

External-beam radiation therapy, which is delivered from a machine outside the body, focuses high-energy radiation (X-ray) beams on tumors to kill or stop the growth of cancer cells. It is usually used after chemotherapy, surgery, and stem cell transplant to kill any cancer cells that may remain. Our pediatric radiation oncologists use advanced imaging techniques to determine the exact location of the tumor and minimize damage to surrounding tissues.

Immunotherapy uses the power of the immune system's disease-fighting cells (antibodies) to help fight cancer. Doctors use a specially designed monoclonal antibody, which is a human-made substance that acts like the body's own antibodies, to attack neuroblastoma cells. Immunotherapy is often used in combination with other treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy. The therapy is delivered through an IV infusion.

A stem cell transplant allows doctors to harvest your child’s stem cells and store them for use after intensive treatment. Your child receives a high dose of chemotherapy or radiation (or both) to destroy as many cancer cells as possible. This is followed by an IV infusion of stem cells that were set aside earlier, to replace bone marrow and restore healthy blood cells. Because the stem cells are your child’s own cells, there is minimal risk that your child's body will have difficulty with the transplanted cells.

When children have neuroblastoma that is widespread, has returned, or isn’t responding to treatment, your pediatric oncologist may discuss whether I-131 MIBG is a treatment option. It may be recommended when neuroblastoma is found in multiple places throughout the body, which is difficult to treat with standard external-beam radiation therapy.

MIBG is a substance that is combined with radioactive iodine to target and destroy cancer cells. MIBG is absorbed by neuroblastoma cells, delivering radiation directly to try to kill the cells. It targets the tumor cells everywhere in the body and destroys them while sparing healthy tissue.

A specially trained nuclear medicine technologist uses an IV to infuse the MIBG into your child’s bloodstream over the course of two hours. They therapy is given in a lead-lined room that is specifically designed for this purpose. Your child will spend a few days in the same room while the radioactive substance is cleared from their body naturally. We take special precautions to protect parents and staff from radiation exposure while they are in the room.

MIBG therapy can be a faster, effective, and less painful option than other treatments. It requires less time in the hospital and is usually well-tolerated, with fewer side effects than other treatments.