Epidemiology of neuroblastoma: analysis of a single institution.
BACKGROUND
Neuroblastoma is the fourth most frequent cancer among all pediatric neoplasms Epidemiological studies may shed more light on the disease and aid in improving treatment of patients with neuroblastoma.


METHODS
Epidemiology data are presented for 333 children with neuroblastoma or ganglioneuroblastoma and 11 children with ganglioneuroma who were treated at the Institute of Mother and Child in Warsaw, Poland, from 1962 to 1996.


RESULTS
Analysis of the stage of the disease, age, sex and survival of children with neuroblastoma demonstrated comparable distribution of good and intermediate stages versus the stages with a poor prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Comprehensive analysis of epidemiological data on the stage of cancer, age, sex and survival in patients with neuroblastoma provides a basis for better prognosis of the disease and cost-efficient treatment.
Izbicki
Tadeusz
T
Departments of Surgical Oncology and Epidemiology, National Research Institute of Mother and Child, Kasprzaka 17A Street, 01-211 Warsaw, Poland. eizbicka@saci.org
Mazur
Joanna
J
Izbicka
Elzbieta
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018305:Ganglioneuroblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005729:Ganglioneuroma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate