Signs and Symptoms
The effects of neuroblastoma can vary widely depending on where the disease first started and how much it has spread to other parts of the body. The first symptoms are often vague and may include irritability, fatigue, loss of appetite, and fever. But because these early warning signs can develop gradually and mimic those of other common childhood illnesses, neuroblastoma can be difficult to diagnose.
In young children, neuroblastoma often is discovered when a parent or doctor feels an unusual lump or mass somewhere in the child's body — most often in the abdomen, though tumors also can appear in the neck, chest, and elsewhere.
The most common signs of neuroblastoma are caused by the tumor pressing on nearby tissues as it grows or by the cancer spreading to other areas. These signs vary depending on how much the cancer has grown and where it has spread.
For example, a child may have:
a swollen stomach, abdominal pain, and decreased appetite (if the tumor is in the abdomen)
bone pain or soreness, black eyes, bruises, and pale skin (if the cancer has spread to the bones)
weakness, numbness, inability to move a body part, or difficulty walking (if the cancer presses on the spinal cord)
drooping eyelid, unequal pupils, sweating, and red skin, which are signs of nerve damage in the neck known as Horner's syndrome (if the tumor is in the neck)
difficulty breathing (if the cancer is in the chest)