Bone marrow examination in neuroblastoma patients: a morphologic, immunocytochemical, and immunohistochemical study

Bone marrow examination was performed at the time of diagnosis, before initiation of therapy, and during follow-up of 14 consecutive patients with neuroblastoma who were treated at the National Hospital in Oslo. A total of 30 bone marrow specimens were examined by conventional histology, by immunohistochemistry with selected monoclonal antibodies to neuroblastoma cells (UJ 13A, UJ 167.11, PI 153/3, and A2B5) applied on trephines, and by morphologic evaluation of smears in addition to immunocytochemistry of aspirated bone marrow cells. The study confirmed the value of immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry for the detection of bone marrow involvement in neuroblastoma. Immunohistochemistry performed on bone marrow trephines was a slightly better adjunct than immunocytochemistry on aspirated bone marrow cells.