{"id":3561,"date":"2019-02-03T15:39:02","date_gmt":"2019-02-03T15:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=3561"},"modified":"2021-03-25T17:41:29","modified_gmt":"2021-03-25T17:41:29","slug":"15-causes-of-neuroblastoma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/15-causes-of-neuroblastoma\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Causes of Neuroblastoma"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Cancer occurs whenever the cells in your body start to lose control of their growth and engulf normal cells in their smothering presence. Cells in every part of your body have the potential to turn cancerous then proceed to spread out to other areas of your body. The forms of cancer that you see in adults are quite different from the types that you\u2019ll find developing in children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neuroblastoma manifests in early nerve cells, most commonly in a fetus or embryo. The term neuro is used to refer to the nerves that it targets while the term blastoma describes cancer that manifests in developing or immature cells. As such, you\u2019ll find this cancer more prominent in children at the infant stage while it\u2019s rarer above the age of 10. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are still some cases of neuroblastoma in children above the age of 10 but the numbers are far fewer than in younger children. There are many things that could cause neuroblastoma, and today, we\u2019re going to take a look at eight of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Heredity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One to two percent of neuroblastoma cases is related to heredity<\/a>. These children have inherited a higher chance of developing neuroblastoma due to the genes of one or both of their parents. That said, the majority of neuroblastoma cases do not appear to be due to hereditary factors. Children who have the familial type of neuroblastoma often hail from families containing multiple relatives that suffered from neuroblastoma when they were an infant. The age of hereditary neuroblastoma is younger on average in comparison to cases of neuroblastoma not related to genetic inheritance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These non-familial neuroblastomas are referred to as sporadic cases. If someone with neuroblastoma has tumors developing in various places in their body simultaneously, this suggests that their case may be familial rather than sporadic. In such a scenario, other relatives should go for genetic testing. Whether the neuroblastoma was inherited or not, it still has the potential to spread to other organs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Congenital anomalies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There have been studies suggesting that children born with congenital anomalies \u2014 more often referred to as birth defects \u2014 could have a higher chance of developing neuroblastoma. Some of the correlations between neuroblastoma and birth defects may be due to the alternations in their genes that occur during the development stages of the fetus. Genes are comprised of DNA <\/a>and tell our body what it should do. The development of a fetus, while it is still in the uterus of the mother, is also guided by genes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The genes tell the developing cells how it should divide and grow. If the growth of the cells is abnormal while the fetus is in the uterus, a birth defect can occur. Mutations in genes during the developmental stages of a fetus could increase the risk of childhood cancers like neuroblastoma and also lead to birth defects. That said, not all children with congenital anomalies will develop neuroblastoma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Smoking during pregnancy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another potential cause of neuroblastoma is smoking <\/a>during pregnancy. Mothers who smoke while they are pregnant increase the odds that their child will suffer from birth defects or even other conditions long after their birth. There has been a correlation between mothers smoking during pregnancy and their children developing heart disease sometime throughout the course of their life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the myriad of conditions that could be caused by this, neuroblastoma appears to be one of them. An ongoing study is showing evidence that the odds of developing neuroblastoma can be significantly increased due to the mother smoking during pregnancy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The researches suspect that this is due to the fact that fetuses aren\u2019t meant to be exposed to carcinogens during their development stage, and cigarettes \u2014 as well as other tobacco products \u2014 could impact their healthy growth. While the studies are yet to produce a conclusive result, it\u2019s important to avoid smoking during pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Much like smoking, pregnant mothers who drink alcohol during their term also expose their unborn child to a myriad of risks. Liver and kidney failure in young children have been directly tied to the amount of alcohol <\/a>that a mother consumed during her pregnancy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The issue for some people who consume high levels of alcohol on a daily basis is the volume that they\u2019d drink before they even know they\u2019re pregnant. By the time they find out that a human being is growing within them, they\u2019ve already consumed high amounts of alcohol that could pose a serious threat to their baby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not to say that the damage is done and they might as well continue, they should still, of course, cease drinking immediately, but the risk has already been increased. This is yet another reason that alcohol consumption should be moderated or even ceased altogether. Remember, it\u2019s not just your health on the line, it\u2019s your child\u2019s health as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Taking drugs during pregnancy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the only thing more harmful to a developing fetus than the smoking or drinking of the mother is the usage of drugs. This risk is not limited to opioids and hallucinogens<\/a>, even pharmaceuticals could pose risks to the developing fetus. As such, it\u2019s important to refrain from taking any pharmaceuticals without first consulting with your doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, taking illegal drugs such as cocaine and heroin are disastrous for the development of the fetus and could lead not only to congenital anomalies but even prenatal death. It is due to this that some families choose to enter their children into rehab programs upon finding out that they are pregnant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only will it help them kick their bad habits, but it will also ensure that their fetus can develop normally and lead a healthy life once born. Those who want to alleviate common issues such as insomnia can use organic methods like chamomile tea as opposed to taking Valium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Infantile exposure to asbestos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve likely heard about asbestos and the health risks it poses, but you probably don\u2019t know why it is so dangerous to infants and adults alike. The fibers of asbestos <\/a>are amazingly minuscule. They are, in fact, so minuscule that the white blood cells in your body aren\u2019t able to get them out of your system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They hunker down in your respiratory system which can cause tissue damage and scarring. This scarring could sometimes be benign, but might also lead to cancer. There\u2019s no such thing as a safe level of exposure to asbestos. Even the smallest exposure could lead to a fatal illness. At the same time, prolonged exposure has sometimes lead to no visible side effects. Everyone has a different reaction to asbestos, but it\u2019s best not to take the chance. Infants who are exposed to asbestos can be at serious risk of developing neuroblastoma at childhood as well as other forms of cancer in adulthood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Infantile exposure to UV radiation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When an ultraviolet ray hits a strand of DNA, it causes a chemical reaction. It sometimes even binds two different letters of DNA together. This bond will cause a deformation in the DNA strand and makes it hard for your body to decrypt the code \u2014 as well as information \u2014 contained therein. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of UV <\/a>damage like a scratch on an old vinyl that makes it hard for the phonograph to read it because the needle just jumps over the scratch. The damage that UV rays inflict on DNA could lead to numerous strands failing to operate properly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the DNA that was damaged was crucial to the survival of the cell, it might die prematurely. Some damage cells that don\u2019t die could multiply at an abnormal rate and become cancerous. While excessive UV radiation can cause skin cancer in adults, it also increases the odds of developing neuroblastomas for babies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Infantile exposure to radon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Houses with high levels of radon are likely built on top of soil that is rich in uranium. As the uranium decays, it will release ionized particles that can damage DNA and cause various types of cancer. Luckily, there are many kits available online that let you test the radon levels in your home without paying too much money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you find that the level of radon in your home is above average, you should start taking measures to normalize the concentration. Radon can cause cancer in adults as well as children, and there have been studies suggesting that radon can increase the odds of a child developing neuroblastoma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another cause of radon exposure could be family wells that were dug on uranium-rich soil. If you suspect that the soil that your house or well is built in contained uranium<\/a>, it\u2019s imperative that you get everything tested to ensure that your child doesn\u2019t develop neuroblastoma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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