Learn About Ganglioneuroma
Ganglioneuroma is a tumor of the autonomic nervous system.
Ganglioneuromas are rare tumors that most often start in autonomic nerve cells. Autonomic nerves manage body functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, sweating, bowel and bladder emptying, and digestion. The tumors are usually noncancerous (benign).
Ganglioneuromas usually occur in people over 10 years of age. They grow slowly, and may release certain chemicals or hormones.
There are no known risk factors. However, the tumors may be associated with some genetic problems, such as neurofibromatosis type 1.
A ganglioneuroma usually causes no symptoms. The tumor is only discovered when a person is examined or treated for another condition.
Symptoms depend on the location of the tumor and the type of chemicals it releases.
If the tumor is in the chest area (mediastinum), symptoms may include:
- Breathing difficulty
- Chest pain
- Compression of the windpipe (trachea)
If the tumor is lower down in the abdomen in the area called the retroperitoneal space, symptoms may include:
- Abdominal or back pain
- Bloating
If the tumor is near the spinal cord, it may cause:
- Compression of the spinal cord, which leads to pain and loss of strength or feeling in the legs, arms, or both
- Spine deformity
These tumors may produce certain hormones, which can cause the following symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- High blood pressure
- Increased body hair
Treatment involves surgery to remove the tumor (if it is causing symptoms).
Memorial Solid Tumor Group
Mark Dickson is a Hematologist Oncology specialist and a Hematologist in New York, New York. Dr. Dickson is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Ganglioneuroma. His top areas of expertise are Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Liposarcoma, Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor, and Endoscopy.
Pramila Ramani practices in Bristol, United Kingdom. Ramani is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Ganglioneuroma. Their top areas of expertise are Ganglioneuroma, Neuroblastoma, Embryonal Tumor with Multilayered Rosettes, and Gliomatosis Cerebri.
Temple Faculty Practice Plan Inc
Margaret Von-Mehren is an Oncologist and a Transplant Surgeon in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Von-Mehren is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Ganglioneuroma. Her top areas of expertise are Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor, Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma, Mesenchymoma, and Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma.
Most ganglioneuromas are noncancerous. The expected outcome is usually good.
If the tumor has been present for a long time and has pressed on the spinal cord or caused other symptoms, surgery to remove the tumor may not reverse the damage. Compression of the spinal cord may result in loss of movement (paralysis), especially if the cause is not detected promptly.
Surgery to remove the tumor may also lead to complications in some cases. In rare cases, problems due to compression may occur even after the tumor is removed.
Contact your health care provider if you or your child has symptoms that may be caused by this type of tumor.
Summary: This study gathers health information for the Project: Every Child for younger patients with cancer. Gathering health information over time from younger patients with cancer may help doctors find better methods of treatment and on-going care.
Summary: The SIOPEN BIOPORTAL is a prospective non-therapeutic multi-centre international study aimed at developing an international Registry linked to a Virtual Biobank for all the patients with peripheral neuroblastic tumor within countries of the SIOPEN network. The overall aim of this study is to provide a GDPR-compliant framework to collect basic clinical annotations, biological and genetic features a...
Published Date: August 19, 2024
Published By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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