Cancer begins to form in the body when certain cells begin to grow out of control at an alarming rate. Neuroblastoma is an aggressive cancer that affects the nervous system which contains the brain, spinal cord and nerves that run throughout the body. It is most commonly found in the adrenal glands located above the kidneys. Neuroblastoma can affect children under the age of ten, but it is most common in children aged one to five. Neuroblastoma begins to develop in the first nerve cells of the embryo1. Neuroblastoma targets the autonomic nervous system which extends throughout the body. For parents of children diagnosed with or about to be diagnosed with neuroblastoma, it is important to know the anatomy of the nervous system and kidneys, how to diagnose it, the stage of neuroblastoma and all the treatments available. associates. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The anatomy of the nervous system and kidneys is very complex. The nervous system is a large organization of nerves and glands located throughout the body. The nervous system has two main parts, the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system2. The central nervous system is made up of two parts: the spinal cord and the brain. The brain is the main control unit that sends commands to the rest of the body, and the spinal cord is the pathway for those commands. The brain and spinal cord are made up of billions of neurons. Neurons are specialized cells that connect to each other and ensure that the brain's message reaches its destination2. The peripheral nervous system has two main parts and two subcategories. The two parts of the peripheral nervous system are the nerves and ganglia outside the brain. The two subcategories of the peripheral nervous system are the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The somatic nervous system controls voluntary actions such as walking or eating. The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary actions such as breathing and heart rate. The peripheral nervous system is what connects the central nervous system to the limbs and organs of the body. When the brain sends a message, it travels down the spinal cord to the appropriate nerve, then down the nerve to the appropriate body part, passing through a few ganglia along the way. The kidneys are a bean-shaped organ that functions as the body's waste disposal unit. About a third of the blood leaving the heart passes through the kidneys before going to the rest of the body. The kidneys are located against the muscular posterior wall of the human abdominal cavity. The kidneys are not directly mirrored, the left kidney is slightly higher than the right kidney. The major parts of the kidney include the renal capsule, renal cortex, renal medulla, renal pelvis, and approximately one million nephrons3. The renal capsule is the fibrous connective tissue that makes up the outermost shell of the kidneys. The kidney capsule is primarily responsible for protecting and maintaining the shape of the kidneys. The renal cortex is made up of granular tissue. The main function of the renal cortex is to separate the renal capsule from the renal medulla3. The renal cortex also provides an area for glomerular capillaries as well as arterioles and venules. The renal medulla is located just inside the renal cortex. The renal medulla is the area where most filtration occurs. Inside the renal medulla are several pyramidal-shaped masses of tissuecalled renal pyramids. Inside each kidney pyramid is a dense network of nephrons that work together to filter blood and excrete waste from your body. Nephrons separate and filter blood and water3. At the end of each nephron is a cup-shaped structure called Bowman's capsule. The Bowman's capsule surrounds a tuft of capillaries called glomeruli. The glomeruli are the ones that carry blood to and from the kidneys. Each part of the nephron is permeable to different molecules, making it a very effective filter. The renal pelvis is what connects the kidney to the rest of the body3. It is also what contains the hilum, or the concave part of the kidney. The hilum is where blood vessels and nerves enter and exit the kidney. The renal arteries supply blood to the kidneys and originate from the abdominal aorta. Above each kidney is an adrenal gland which is essential to a person's well-being. The adrenal glands regulate the hormones we need during times of extreme stress. Each adrenal gland is only two and a half inches long and one inch wide4. The adrenal gland has three parts: the capsule, the cortex and the medulla. The capsule is the outermost layer composed of fat. The main purpose of this layer is to protect the innermost parts. The cortex or second layer makes up eighty percent of the adrenal gland4. The cortex completely surrounds the innermost part of the medulla. The cortex has three zones; the zona glomerulosa, the zona fasciculata and the zona reticularis. These regulate the excretion of fluids and minerals. The medulla is largely responsible for how the human body regulates stress. There are three different catecholamines secreted by the spinal cord: epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. These three hormones are called neurotransmitters. When a body experiences stress, the brain sends a signal down the spinal cord to the adrenal medulla to begin secreting neurotransmitters. This is the human stress mechanism3. Neuroblastoma causes problems to appear in many areas of your body. Symptoms include abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, the feeling of a lump under the skin that is not painful to the touch, chest pain, wheezing, bone pain, back pain, and loss of weight5. If a person experiences any of these symptoms, they should seek medical attention immediately. If the doctor suspects something is wrong, he or she will order additional tests. Radiological imaging plays a very important role in the detection and diagnosis of a neuroblastoma tumor. Normally, the first step is a physical examination5. From there, a blood or urine sample is often taken to examine hormone levels. Then, images are taken to determine if there is a neuroblastoma using ultrasound, x-ray, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography5. Ultrasound is the first step in young children because it is quick, easy and requires no radiation. Ultrasound bounces sound waves to create images of the inside of the body. A small wand or transducer is placed on the skin with gel on top. The transducer produces sound waves then picks up the echoes as they bounce off various parts of the body. This creates a black and white image on a computer screen. Ultrasound is the first step in young children because it is quick, easy and requires no radiation. X-ray may be used if the child has symptoms, but it is not clear what the cause is.cause. However, images may not be clear enough or contain enough detail to be of much use. If the child has already been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, x-rays may be helpful to see if the cancer has spread to the bones. A chest X-ray may be ordered if the doctor thinks the disease may have spread to the lungs. Computed tomography, known as CT, is a test that creates detailed cross-sectional images of the body. It takes several photos and rotates around the body, giving the doctor a very detailed image of the body's soft tissues. CT scans are often used to look for neuroblastomas in the chest, abdomen, and pelvic areas. Magnetic resonance imaging, known as MRI, uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create images so there is no radiation. Magnetic resonance imaging provides a more detailed picture of soft tissues like the brain and spinal cord, making it easier to examine neuroblastomas. However, due to the degree of stillness, test duration, and loud noises, it is more difficult to use on young children. Positron emission tomography involves injecting a small amount of radioactive sugar into the bloodstream. An hour after the injection, the patient lies on a table where a special camera is used to create images of the entire body. Because cancer cells grow quickly, they take up a large amount of radioactive sugar. If the imaging results show a mass that could be a tumor, a tissue biopsy is ordered to determine what mass it is. During a biopsy, the doctor removes part of the mass. There are two different types of biopsies: incisional biopsy and needle biopsy. An incisional biopsy involves removing part of the mass through a cut in the skin. A needle biopsy involves removing part of the mass using a needle. During a needle biopsy, a CT scan or ultrasound may be used to help guide the needle to the exact area of ​​the mass. After obtaining the samples, they are then sent to the laboratory to be examined under the microscope. There are different treatment plans for neuroblastoma depending on the stage and location of the tumor. In young children under six months of age with a small tumor on the adrenal gland, observation alone is the normal treatment plan. This gives the doctor the opportunity to study the tumor and see if it will go away on its own. If the patient is older than six months and the tumor is in a convenient location, surgery will be considered. In most cases, surgery can remove the entire tumor and result in remission. If the tumor is located too close to internal organs or other vital structures, the entire tumor may not be able to be removed. During the operation, the surgeon also removes the small lymph nodes near the adrenal glands to examine them for cancer cells. If the tumor is inoperable or part of it cannot be removed, chemotherapy is used to attack the remaining cancer cells. Chemotherapy is a type of treatment that uses certain cancer drugs to create a standardized chemotherapy regimen6. Drugs used to attack and kill rapidly dividing cells. There are several cells in the human body that divide quickly and naturally, such as hair and bone marrow. Chemotherapy also attacks these cells, causing death..