Neuroblastoma is a solid cancerous tumor that develops in the nerve tissue of the neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis. The tumor usually spreads from the adrenal gland, which is located in the abdomen near the kidneys.

Neuroblastoma affects mainly children. It is the fourth most common cancer that occurs in children, affecting one in 100,000 children in the United States each year. Approximately 60% of cases of neuroblastoma occur in children younger than two years old, and 70-90% occur in children under five. The disease is sometimes present at birth, but is usually not noticed until later. By the time the disease is diagnosed, it has often spread to the lymph nodes, liver, lungs, bones, or bone marrow.

Physicians classify neuroblastoma in stages, based on how far the disease has spread from its original site to other tissues in the body. The best treatment for the disease depends on its...