title: Are there two different forms of neuroblastoma?
abstract: Spontaneous regression occurs in approximately 7% of all neuroblastoma cases. There seem to be at least two different mechanisms of regression, a) differentiation of the tumor cells against benign non-proliferative ganglioneuroma cells and b) spontaneous disappearance of the neuroblastoma cells via cytolysis. The initial loss of growth control of the spontaneously regressing neuroblastomas might be the result of an overproduction of trophic and growth-stimulating factors or by a shortage or absence of factors initiating neuronal differentiation. These cells should not have genetic defects. In contrast, the major part of neuroblastomas represent a malignant type of tumor with cells which probably have genetic defects. In the following study, a model is demonstrated to investigate the biochemical mechanisms underlying the maturation of human neuroblastoma cells using 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in human neuroblastoma cell cultures.
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D006801:Humans; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate