Which presenting sign is most characteristic of neuroblastoma in a child?

• A. Fever
• B. Headache
• C. Abdominal mass
• D. Persistent cough

Answer: (C)

Neuroblastoma most often presents as a palpable abdominal mass because it usually starts in neural crest–derived tissue in the adrenal gland or along the sympathetic chain. In young children, this leads to a firm, irregular lump in the abdomen that may cross the midline and cause distention or pain. Fever, headache, or a persistent cough are non-specific symptoms that can occur with other illnesses or with metastasis, but they do not define neuroblastoma the way an abdominal mass does. Recognizing an abdominal lump in a child points you toward neuroblastoma as the characteristic presentation.