Neuroblastoma staging
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Neuroblastoma Microchapters |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
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Neuroblastoma staging On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Neuroblastoma staging |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Diagnosis of neuroblastoma can be complicated. It has been called the "great masquerader" because its symptoms mimic so many other diseases. Even a pathological study (biopsy) might reveal cells that can resemble other small round blue tumor cells, like lymphomas and rhabdomyosarcomas. Only a pathologist familiar with neuroblastoma can distinguish the difference (and neuroblastoma is rare).
Staging
Neuroblastoma is stratified according to its anatomical presence at diagnosis:
- Stage 1: Localized tumor confined to the area of origin.
- Stage 2A: Unilateral tumor with incomplete gross resection; identifiable ipsilateral and contralateral lymph node negative for tumor.
- Stage 2B: Unilateral tumor with complete or incomplete gross resection; with ispilateral lymph node positive for tumor; identifiable contralateral lymph node negative for tumor.
- Stage 3: Tumor infiltrating across midline with or without regional lymph node involvement; or unilateral tumor with contralateral lymph node involvement; or midline tumor with bilateral lymph node involvement.
- Stage 4: Dissemination of tumor to distant lymph nodes, bone marrow, bone, liver, or other organs except as defined by Stage 4S.
- Stage 4S: Localized primary tumor as defined in Stage 1 or 2, with dissemination limited to liver, skin, or bone marrow (less than 10 percent of nucleated bone marrow cells are tumors).