Recent advances in the diagnosis, prognosis and classification of childhood solid tumours

The diagnosis of paediatric tumours including the small round cell tumours (neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and the Ewing family of tumours), brain tumours, germ cell tumours and anaplastic large cell lymphoma can pose particular diagnostic dilemmas, especially in cases with undifferentiated morphology. Substantial improvements have been made in the treatment and long term survival of paediatric patients with these tumours, however, these are based on disease and even stage specific treatments. Accurate diagnosis and prognosis can now be aided by identifying specific genotypic and phenotypic criteria using cytogenetics, interphase fluorescence in situ hybridisation, reverse transcription PCR and novel immunophenotypic markers. Some of these analyses should form an integral part of the management of patients with paediatric solid tumours.