Presentation Description:
Neuroblastoma is the most common extra-cranial solid tumor in children. It is a heterogeneous malignancy with widely variable behaviour, from spontaneous regression to an extremely aggressive form of metastatic disease. Prognosis ranges from low to intermediate patients having near overall survival to high risk patients with a less than 40% survival. Neuroblastoma proves to be a paradigm for the use of biologic prognostic factors to tailor therapy to low, intermediate and high risk neuroblastoma.
The development of the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group Task Force (INRG) has lead the way in identifying and confirming biological and genetic markers to help understand the molecular pathogenesis of neuroblastoma. These markers have led to the development of protocols that look at minimizing therapy for low to intermediate risk patients and in contrast intensifying therapy to high risk patients.
This presentation provided the audience with an overview of neuroblastoma with a focus on understanding neuroblastoma biology and prognostic features and how this impacts risk stratification and current therapy.
Speaker:
Denise Mills, RN(EC), MN, NP
Nurse Practitioner, Division of Haematology/Oncology
The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
Lawrence S. Bloomberg Cross Appointment at Faculty of Nursing
University of Toronto, Toronto