Is neuroblastoma contagious?

Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
Updated on July 02, 2025
00:00
00:00

Neuroblastoma is not a contagious disease, and currently, the cause of neuroblastoma is not very clear. In some cases, it is related to genetic factors, and in other cases, it might be related to the effects of radiation and drug-induced genetic mutations. There is no definitive consensus on this yet.

For relatives caring for someone with neuroblastoma, there is no need to worry about contagion. This is simply a form of tumor within the skull. It will continue to grow, spread, and disseminate within the body on its own, but it cannot be transmitted to another individual. Therefore, there's no need for undue concern. Prompt treatment to extend the patient's lifespan and reduce suffering is crucial to better serve the patient.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
42sec home-news-image

neuroblastoma cure rate

Neuroblastoma is relatively likely to be a malignant tumor, typically characterized by rapid growth of malignant tumors.In the early stages of the disease, it often adheres to surrounding tissues, making it difficult to completely remove through surgery. Even with surgical treatment, the outcomes are generally modest, and recurrence is likely to occur shortly after surgery. Once recurrence occurs, the malignancy of the tumor will continue to increase.For these patients, the prognosis is poor. It is generally recommended to undergo surgical treatment early, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy to potentially extend the patient's lifespan, but it is usually difficult to cure.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
42sec home-news-image

Neuroblastoma is what disease

Neuroblastoma is a highly malignant epithelial neurocyte tissue tumor, which is relatively aggressive. Often in the early stages of the disease, the tumor tissue adheres to surrounding brain tissue, nerves, and blood vessels, making it impossible to completely remove it surgically. The residual tumor cells quickly recur over time. As a result, most neuroblastoma patients have a poor prognosis and short survival time, even with effective surgical treatment, including postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therefore, it is recommended that those diagnosed with neuroblastoma undergo early further examinations and treatments.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
44sec home-news-image

How is neuroblastoma diagnosed?

For patients with neuroblastoma, diagnosis is primarily through the symptoms, signs, detailed physical examinations, medical history inquiries, and most importantly, radiological data, which includes CT scans or MRI of the head. Definitive diagnosis requires surgical removal of the tumor. A small amount of tumor tissue is retained after excision and used for pathological examination to confirm the diagnosis. Neuroblastoma is categorized as an epithelial-like malignant tumor, indicative of a high degree of malignancy. In most cases, early in the disease, the tumor adheres to surrounding tissues, which greatly complicates complete surgical removal, and most patients have a poor prognosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
44sec home-news-image

How do you get neuroblastoma?

Currently, there is no consensus on the specific causes of neuroblastoma. In most cases, it is believed to be caused by the failure of primitive myeloid epithelial cells to continue differentiating, which is somewhat linked to congenital genetic factors. Additionally, poor lifestyle choices and exposure to certain chemical carcinogens, including long-term exposure to radiation, can potentially lead to neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a highly malignant tumor that generally grows and develops rapidly. It often adheres to surrounding tissues in the early stages of the disease, making complete surgical removal quite difficult, and typically has a poor prognosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
33sec home-news-image

Causes of Neuroblastoma

Currently, there is no definitive conclusion about the specific causes of neuroblastoma, but most scholars believe that the occurrence of neuroblastoma is the result of congenital genetic factors combined with acquired factors. For patients with neuroblastoma, there is often a family history of genetic diseases showing a familial clustering tendency. In addition, poor living environments and habits, including exposure to radioactive contamination or prolonged exposure to electromagnetic radiation, may also contribute to the development of neuroblastoma.