Neuroblastoma in children: a 10-year experience in Saudi Arabia

Twenty children with biopsy-proven neuroblastoma were diagnosed and treated between 1984 and 1994 at King Fahd Hospital of the University in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. There were 12 males and eight females with a ratio of 1.5/1. The median age at diagnosis was 3 years. Clinical staging showed: Stage I, 0 per cent; Stage II, 30 per cent; Stage III, 30 per cent; Stage IV, 35 per cent, Stage IVs, 5 per cent. Primary sites of involvement included: adrenal 55 per cent retroperitoneal, 15 per cent; thoracic, 10 per cent, cervical, 5 per cent; pharyngeal, 5 per cent; lumbar, 5 per cent; unknown, 5 per cent. Pathological features showed: neuroblastoma, 70 per cent; ganglio neuroblastoma, 25 per cent; ganglioneuroma, 5 per cent. Clinical presentation revealed: abdominal swelling, 55 per cent; fever, 40 per cent; weight loss, 35 per cent; anorexia, 25 per cent; proptosis, 20 per cent; opsomyoclonus, 5 per cent; skin nodules, 5 per cent; diarrhoea, 5 per cent. Twenty four-hour urine collection showed high level of VMA in 13 (65 per cent) patients. Follow-up was from 6 months-10 years (median 5 years). disease-free survival at 2 years were as followed: Stage II, 100 per cent; Stage III, 66 per cent; Stage IV, 14 per cent; Stage IVs, 100 per cent.