Research status of molecular mechanisms in neuroblastoma relapse

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood. Most NB cases have distant metastasis and are classified as high-risk. High-risk NB is also associated with frequent relapses and treatment-resistance. Children with recurrent or refractory NB have a less than 50% response rate to alternative regimens and a very poor 5-year overall survival rate despite aggressive treatment. The mechanisms of NB relapses are still unclear. Current studies showed that some factors played roles during the recurrence of NB, such as MYCN oncogene, cancer stem cells (CSC), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene, DNA methylation, micro RNA(miRNA), cellular senescence and interleukin (IL)-6/ signal transducers and activators of transcription(STAT)3 signal pathway.This article reviews such related molecular mechanisism of NB relapse. Key words: Neuroblastoma; Genes, myc; Neoplastic stem cells; Cell aging; Receptors, interleukin-6; STAT3 transcription factor