Neuroblastoma: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

Usually, neuroblastoma does not cause any symptoms and is therefore discovered by chance. However, the following symptoms and complaints may indicate neuroblastoma in some cases:

  • Fatigue, weakness
  • Paleness
  • Listlessness
  • Prolonged moderate fever
  • Sweating
  • Lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement)
  • Distended abdomen
  • Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
  • Anorexia (loss of appetite), weight loss.
  • Nausea (nausea), vomiting.
  • Constipation (constipation)
  • Diarrhea (diarrhea)
  • Abdominal pain (abdominal pain)
  • Bone pain
  • Urinary retention
  • Paresis (signs of paralysis)
  • Horner’s syndrome (synonym: Horner’s triad) with unilateral miosis (pupillary constriction), ptosis (drooping upper eyelid), and a pseudoenophthalmos (apparently sunken eyeball) (see below “Most common localizations of neuroblastoma”)
  • Hematoma (bruising) around the eyes.

Symptoms can vary greatly depending on the location of the neoplasm. For example, tumor-related hematoma-discolored (bruise-related) swelling of the eyelids can produce the appearance of spectacle or monocular hematoma.

The most common locations of neuroblastoma are:

  • Adrenal medulla,
  • Border cord; these tumors can make neurological deficits as hourglass tumors and cause Horner’s triad (see above)= if they affect the stellate ganglion
  • Unpaired abdominal and pelvic ganglia.

Further notes

  • Abdominal infestation is the most common at 70%.