A single center clinical analysis of children with high-risk neuroblastoma

The current multidisciplinary treatment for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma (NB) is the common census. However, protocols and opinions are different in different regions and institutions. We aimed to assess the protocol formulated by Chinese Children's Cancer Group study in 2009, and the impact of surgery extent was highlightly evaluated.

This study enrolled patients with high-risk neuroblastoma between 2009 and 2014 in Department of Pediatric Oncology of Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. The clinical characteristics of patients were illustrated and surgery extent was evaluated by the impact on survival rate.

The 3-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 56.2% and 50.5%, respectively. LDH (P<0.001), bone marrow metastasis at time of diagnosis (P=0.001), bone marrow negative after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P<0.001), radiotherapy (P<0.001) were significant predictors of OS and PFS. And surgery extent had no impact on the enhancement of high-risk neuroblastoma patients in short time.

This study showed no substantial survival benefit in patients with high-risk NB undergoing gross total tumor resection. Multidisciplinary intensive treatment was essential, especially for patients received subtotal tumor resection. Longer term follow-up is needed to survey complications in surviving patients who received intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy.