Varicella zoster virus infections in neuroblastoma patients: a 31-year clinical study.
BACKGROUND
The oncogenic potential of viruses was demonstrated in some human cancers. The oncogenic role of chickenpox (Cp) infection caused by varicella zoster virus has not been investigated to date.


METHODS
Among 333 children with neuroblastoma, 50 had Cp infection. The correlation of Cp infection with selected prognostic factors was analyzed.


RESULTS
One Cp patients was neuroblastoma stage I, 1-II, 2-IVS, 9-III and 37-IV. Cp was more frequent in stages III (18%) and IV (74%) than stages I + II + IVS (8%). The frequency of Cp in children < 2 years was 42% and > 2 years was 40%. The adrenal (42%) and extra-adrenal (40%) abdominal localizations were most common. The progression of neuroblastoma in stage IV occurred in 86.5% of Cp children in comparison to 43.6% of the population without Cp.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of progression in neuroblastoma is higher in neuroblastoma children with Cp than in neuroblastoma patients without Cp.
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; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012737:Sex Factors