Neuroblastoma distribution in children, illustration. This illustration shows the primary sites of neuroblastoma, a common nerve tissue cancer in young children. This cancer arises from cells in the sympathetic nervous system. It most frequently starts from one of the adrenal glands, but can also develop in the neck, chest, abdomen, or spine. Four regions are labelled at left: the neck, the chest, the abdomen and the pelvis. At right, the adrenal glands on top of the kidneys are labelled, along with the ribs, the cervical vertebrae (neck spine), and the sympathetic ganglia (yellow, part of the sympathetic nervous system).