Neuroblastoma can be divided into 4 stages according to the primary focus and metastasis, and stage 3 is already in a relatively severe stage.
Stage 1 is that the tumor is confined to the primary organ without distant metastasis and can be completely resected by surgery.
Stage 2 is when the tumor progresses in the primary site but cannot be completely resected by surgery, and there are metastases in the ipsilateral lymph nodes without metastases in the contralateral lymph nodes.
Stage 3 is when the tumor crosses the midline of the spine and cannot be removed by surgery, with or without local lymph node metastasis; or the tumor is confined to one side but with contralateral lymph node metastasis; or the tumor grows in the midline of the body and is accompanied by bilateral lymph node metastasis.
Stage 4 is when the tumor spreads to distant lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver, or other organs.
When neuroblastoma develops to stage 3, it can no longer be removed by surgery alone, and chemotherapy or radiotherapy can be performed according to the physical condition of the child to shrink the tumor, and after the tumor shrinks to a certain extent, then surgery can be performed to remove the primary foci and metastatic foci, and further adjuvant treatments are needed after the removal.
When treating children with stage 3 neuroblastoma, they should go to regular hospitals for consultation, define the treatment plan under the guidance of professional doctors, and pay close attention to the changes of their conditions for timely treatment.