Event-free survival of children with biologically favourable neuroblastoma based on the degree of initial tumour resection: results from the Pediatric Oncology Group.
We analysed the 2-year event-free survival (EFS) of 49 patients 1 year of age and older, with stage 2B or 3 neuroblastoma, treated on Pediatric Oncology Group protocols 8742 and 9244, with respect to the degree of tumour resection at diagnosis. The 2-year EFS rate for 21 children whose tumours were completely resected at diagnosis was 85% (SE = 10%) compared with an EFS rate of 70% (SE = 9%) for the 28 children whose tumours were incompletely resected at diagnosis. Despite the observed trend in favour of complete resection, these EFS curves were not statistically significantly different (P = 0.259). Patients with favourable Shimada histology tumours had an EFS rate of 92% (SE = 7%) compared with a rate of 58% (SE = 15%) for patients with unfavourable histology tumours. EFS curves for the two histologic groups were significantly different (P = 0.009). The impact of aggressive surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy on the outcome of patients with biologically favourable regional neuroblastoma is still unclear.
Strother
D
D
Texas Children's Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA.
van Hoff
J
J
Rao
P V
PV
Smith
E I
EI
Shamberger
R C
RC
Halperin
E C
EC
Murray
K J
KJ
Castleberry
R P
RP
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate