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Dark circles and eye bags are normal, and most people have them at some point in their lives. The most common belief is that you are not getting sleep and are tired. While experts say it can be a natural part of ageing or less exposure to sunlight, dark circles also showcase all about your health.
Doctors say dark under-eye circles affect people of all ages, races, and sexes. All skin types show varying levels of dark circles too and are mostly common for those who are:
- Elderly
- Have a family history of dark circles under their eyes
- Have a darker skin tone
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According to experts, while most of the time they can be easily treated – by getting enough sleep, eating nutritious food, and using caffeine eye products, in a few cases they can be symptoms of something serious happening in your body.
Dark circles can be caused due to neuroblastoma – a type of cancer that forms in immature nerve cells in the adrenal glands, neck, chest, abdomen, or spine. While the condition does not show any symptoms in the early stages – it presents itself as causing dark circles under the eyes.
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Doctors say neuroblastoma spreads to the skull and the bones that surround the eyes – areas known as orbits. Due to this, it leads to dark circles as the tumour sometimes bleeds.
Neuroblastoma is a rare cancer that affects children – mostly under the age of 5 years and begins in the tummy area. In adults, it is extremely rare, affecting one in 10 million adults every year. Doctors say mostly the condition gets misdiagnosed because the symptoms can easily be passed off as other conditions. And so, an early diagnosis can help in the full treatment of the deadly disease.
Other signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma
A few other signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma you must look out for include:
- Extreme tiredness
- A lump or swollen area in the abdomen
- Bone pain
- Weak limbs
- Bulging eyes
- Droopy eyelids
- Recurrent constipation
What causes neuroblastoma?
Doctors say neuroblastoma happens when neuroblasts grow and divide out of control instead of developing into nerve cells. A defect in the genes of a neuroblast lets it divide like this and the tendency to get this type of cancer can be passed from a parent to a child.
If the doctors suspect neuroblastoma, they will order tests to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other causes of symptoms. A few of these tests would include:
- Urine and blood tests
- A biopsy
- A bone marrow aspiration
- The doctor will also order an MIBG scan – when a low-dose radioactive material is attached to a molecule which is then injected into the child. Neuroblastoma cells will absorb the MIBG and the doctors can see where the cancer cells are in the body during the scan.