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Principles of Radiation Therapy
Source: Neuroblastoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: April 28, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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Context: Treatment Option Overview for Neuroblastoma
In the current treatment paradigm, radiation therapy for patients with low-risk or intermediate-risk neuroblastoma is reserved for symptomatic life-threatening or organ-threatening tumor bulk that did not respond rapidly enough to chemotherapy. Common situations in which radiation therapy is used in these patients include the following:
Infants aged 60 days and younger with stage 4S and marked respiratory compromise from liver metastases that has not responded to chemotherapy.[21]
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For patients with spinal cord compression. However, most patients are treated with chemotherapy or neurosurgical intervention because of the responsiveness of neuroblastoma to chemotherapy and the potentially devastating late effects of radiation therapy in young children.[22]
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Radiation therapy has become part of the standard of care for patients with high-risk disease and is usually delivered after high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue. For more information, see the Treatment of High-Risk Neuroblastoma section.
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Limiting the use of radiation therapy in infants with neuroblastoma (who generally have non–high-risk disease) is supported by long-term follow-up data from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. This study demonstrated higher rates of second malignant neoplasms and significant chronic health conditions in infants who were treated with radiation therapy.[23][Level of evidence C1]
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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice