Treatment for neuroblastoma is varied and highly dependent on the classification of the cancer as low risk, intermediate or high risk. Most children with low or intermediate risk neuroblastoma do very well. On the other hand, at least half or more of the children with high risk neuroblastoma will suffer a relapse.
For children with low risk neuroblastoma, surgery may be the only treatment that is necessary. Your Paediatric Haematologist-Oncologist together with the healthcare team will determine whether your child may need further treatment including chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
In children with intermediate risk neuroblastoma, chemotherapy is often given first to shrink the tumour and make it easier for the surgeon to remove. This may then be followed with more adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
Unfortunately, as neuroblastoma is typically diagnosed at a more advanced, high risk stage, treatment usually involves chemotherapy, surgery, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, radiation therapy and anti GD2 antibody immunotherapy.