An evaluation of the role of surgery in metastatic neuroblastoma

The role of surgery was evaluated in 320 patients with metastatic neuroblastoma (Children's Cancer Study Group [CCSG] stage IV, excluding IV-S) enrolled in two CCSG treatment protocols between June 1978 and November 1982. The regimens consisted of combination chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Two hundred seventy-seven surgical procedures were performed in 214 of the 320 eligible patients. Surgical intervention at the primary site was performed at initiation of therapy in 86 patients. There was a slight survival advantage when complete resection of the primary tumor was achieved (P = .09). Delayed surgery was performed in 89 patients. Gross complete resection of primary tumor was feasible in 57 of these patients (64.0%). However, survival analysis showed that resolution of metastases had a more important impact on subsequent length of survival than resectability at the delayed procedure (P = .005).