Epidemiology

Neuroblastoma accounts for approximately 8% of all childhood malignancies and is the most common solid tumour in children not arising from the brain.[12][13][14]​ Globally, in 2021, 5560 cases of childhood neuroblastoma were reported.[12]

In the US, incidence is approximately 8 per million persons (based on 2017-2021 data).[15]​​ About 800 new cases are reported in the US each year; median age at diagnosis is 17 months.​[16] ACS: key statistics about neuroblastoma Opens in new window​​​​ The majority of neuroblastoma cases occur in children aged ≤4 years (34% in children <1 year; 49.9% in those aged 1-4 years).[16]

While overall incidence of neuroblastoma appears to be stable in the US, small but significant increases in annual incidence have been reported among children aged 5-9 years and adolescents aged 15-19 years (average annual percent change [AAPC] 2.4% and 3.3%, respectively; 2003-2019 data).[16]

Rarely, neuroblastoma can be detected by ultrasound before birth.

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