Successful treatment of neuroblastoma in a newborn baby

Abstract

Neuroblastoma is a malignant embryonic tumor of childhood originating from progenitor cells of the sympathetic nervous system. It accounts for 50% of all tumors in the first year of life with a high mortality rate. The development of the tumor process in this nosology is based on genetic disorders that may be associated with segmental breakdowns in chromosomes or a change in their number. The presence of aberrations of 1p and 11q loci serves as a criterion for determining the risk group, and amplification of the NMYC oncogene is an indicator of the aggressiveness of the disease. The main cause of death in neuroblastoma is hepatomegaly as a result of liver metastasis and the development of severe life-threatening complications. The presented case demonstrates a positive outcome of the disease in a newborn child with prognostically unfavorable factors, with early complex treatment, including polychemotherapy, surgical removal of the tumor and bone marrow transplantation.