Individual patient risk stratification of high-risk neuroblastomas using a two-gene score suited for clinical use

Several gene expression-based prognostic signatures have been described in neuroblastoma, but none have successfully been applied in the clinic. Here we have developed a clinically applicable prognostic gene signature, both with regards to number of genes and analysis platform. Importantly, it does not require comparison between patients and is applicable amongst high-risk patients. The signature is based on a two-gene score (R-score) with prognostic power in high-stage tumours (stage 4 and/or MYCN-amplified diagnosed after 18 months of age). QPCR-based and array-based analyses of matched cDNAs confirmed cross platform (array-qPCR) transferability. We also defined a fixed cut-off value identifying prognostically differing subsets of high-risk patients on an individual patient basis. This gene expression signature independently contributes to the current neuroblastoma classification system, and if prospectively validated could provide further stratification of high-risk patients, and potential upfront identification of a group of patients that are in need of new/additional treatment regimens.