title: Epidemiology and etiology of neuroblastoma: an overview.
abstract: Neuroblastoma is a complex and therapeutically challenging malignant disease in children. This tumor of the sympathetic nervous system, derived from pathologically maturing neural crest progenitor cells, is unique among pediatric cancers because of spontaneous regressions and catecholamine excretion. Causal treatment of cancer requires a comprehensive understanding of cancer etiology and pathogenesis. Yet, since no causative factors have been identified to date for neuroblastoma, the epidemiological and etiology data summarized in this report might shed more light on carcinogenesis and the outcomes of this pediatric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Surgical Oncology and Epidemiology, National Research Institute of Mother and Child, Kasprzaka 17A Street, 01-211 Warsaw, Poland. eizbicka@saci.org
authors.forename: Tadeusz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Izbicki
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mazur
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Izbicka
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics