Neuroblastoma in Neonates

Abstract

In neonatal period, tumours, although very rare, represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of neoplasms, within the first month after birth, occurs once in every 12,500–27,500 live births, and malignant tumours develop in approximately 40–50% of them. Diagnosis often occur during prenatal screening or during follow-up for a known cancer predisposition syndrome; in fact the presence of congenital anomalies, multifocal or bilateral diseases and cancer in close relatives is suggestive for an underlying cancer predisposition syndrome, and genetic counselling and testing should be considered to investigate these possibilities.