Population-based and controlled study to evaluate neuroblastoma screening at one year of age in Germany: interim results.
BACKGROUND
The German Neuroblastoma Screening Project is the first controlled and population-based screening study to evaluate the presumed benefit of neuroblastoma mass screening at 1 year of age (10-18 months).


METHODS
Screening takes place in 6 of the 16 German states; children from the remainder serve as controls. The German Childhood Cancer Registry enables a mostly complete follow-up and detection of false-negative patients.


RESULTS
Up to December, 1999, 1,199,165 children were examined for urinary catecholamine metabolites and 124 cases of neuroblastoma were detected preclinically, giving a detection rate of 10.3/100,000. Within this cohort, 33 false-negative cases were found.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this screening program will be crucial for further implementation of neuroblastoma screening.
Schilling
F H
FH
Olgahospital, Pediatrics 5, Stuttgart, Germany. fhs@nbs.s.shuttle.de
Berthold
F
F
Erttmann
R
R
Michaelis
J
J
Spix
C
C
Sander
J
J
Schwarz
K
K
Treuner
J
J
D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008403:Mass Screening; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015397:Program Evaluation