Background

Neuroblastoma is a malignant tumor that often occurs in children, and cancer cells originate from neural crest cells that develop into the sympathetic nervous system in the human body. Tumors can occur in any part of the sympathetic nervous system, but most commonly occur in the posterior abdomen, especially in the position of the adrenal gland in over half of cases. Among childhood cancer, it is the most common solid tumor besides brain tumors and lymphomas, and it is also the most common malignant tumor in infants (under one year old), with about one in every 7,000 newborns being affected. Due to the diversity and complexity of neuroblastoma, the related treatment process is often lengthy and arduous. The current trend in treating neuroblastoma is to group patients according to important prognostic factors and provide risk-based treatment of different types and intensities. Since this disease rarely occurs in adults, with about half of cases occurring before the age of 2 and 8-9% before the age of 5, it is not easy to get young children to cooperate with a series of related tests and treatments. Moreover, families raising young children are mostly young people who are just starting out in society, with limited resources to cope with the unexpected visitor of "neuroblastoma," often facing very tight economic and manpower constraints.

Based on the characteristics of the disease itself and the impact it has on patients and their families, National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) has integrated multiple teams since 2007 to help patients with neuroblastoma and their families receive the best medical care possible. The goal is to promote the effectiveness of neuroblastoma-related treatment and research in Taiwan. The main operating method is to establish the "Neuroblastoma Patient Consultation Hotline (0968-663105)" to respond to the medical needs of patients and their parents anytime, anywhere. The hotline also assists in arranging the scheduling of the Dopa-PET research examination completed by the special team from 2008 to 2014. Dopa-PET is a highly specific examination for neuroblastoma and has been included in NTUH's routine examination items since April 1, 2014. Although it needed to be re-evaluated for drug certification after 2018, Dopa-PET examination can still be conducted in this hospital by participating in clinical trials. Additionally, in order to facilitate mutual connections between patients, the Taiwan Neuroblastoma Patient Association was established with the assistance of the NTUH Neuroblastoma Medical Research Special Team. With the cooperation of patient families, it was officially registered with the Ministry of the Interior in 2012 as the "Taiwan Neuroblastoma Patient Care Association."

Members of the Neuroblastoma Medical Research Team at National Taiwan University Hospital

The operation of the neuroblastoma medical and care team at National Taiwan University Hospital is currently composed of various professionals such as basic researchers, clinical medical staff, and other related individuals. This team includes teachers and new members from universities, hospitals, and research units at all levels. Members of the team include: