title: Neuroblastoma in children: a 10-year experience in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: King Fahd Hospital of the University, saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: al-Mulhim
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003625:Data Collection; D003906:Developing Countries; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy