Complete pathologic maturation and regression of stage IVS neuroblastoma without treatment.
Spontaneous maturation of Stage IVS neuroblastoma has been postulated as a mechanism for its favorable prognosis, but this has rarely been documented pathologically. We report on a patient with congenital Stage IVS neuroblastoma who had extensive subcutaneous and bone-marrow involvement. Serial photographs, biopsies, and vanillomandelic acid determinations documented the tumor's initial progression which was followed by spontaneous maturation and involution of the patient's disease over a 6-year period. No cytotoxic therapy was administered. Favorable biologic prognostic factors were documented, including tumor DNA and protein analyses for N-myc amplification or overexpression and analysis for serum neuron-specific enolase and ferritin. Implications for management and therapy of Stage IVS neuroblastoma are discussed with reference to this case and the recent literature.
Haas
D
D
Department of Pediatrics, University of California, School of Medicine, San Francisco 94143.
Ablin
A R
AR
Miller
C
C
Zoger
S
S
Matthay
K K
KK
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D005729:Ganglioneuroma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000652:urine; D011379:Prognosis; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid / Q000652:urine
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid