Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is a common childhood tumor that arises from the peripheral neural crest. Maximal surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and bone marrow replacement are often not sufficient to save the lives of the 60% of children with neuroblastoma whose disease has already disseminated at the time of their initial diagnoses. Development of novel therapeutic approaches for neuroblastoma is dependent upon in vitro and in vivo model systems in which to pilot such therapies. Cell culture models, primary cultures of human neuroblastomas, and in vivo animal models make possible the preclinical development of new approaches to this tumor.

Section editor:Kathryn Albers – University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA