Thoracic neuroblastic tumors in childhood.
OBJECTIVE
Thoracic neuroblastic tumors (NBTs) are reported to have better prognosis. We aimed to review clinical characteristics, treatment results, and outcome of our patients with thoracic NBT.


METHODS
Files of 87 children treated at our hospital between 1973 and 2007 with the diagnoses of thoracic NBT were reviewed for clinical and pathological characteristics. Treatment results and outcomes of these cases were examined.


RESULTS
All but one tumors were located in posterior mediastinum, one in the posterior chest wall. Median age of all was 2.1 years (range, 0.03-14; F/M: 1.42). Fifteen cases had ganglioneuromas (GN), 26 ganglioneuroblastomas (GNBL), and 46 neuroblastomas (NBLs). Stages were: I, 20.5%; II, 22.1%; III, 38.2%; IV, 14.7%; IVS, 4.5%. Stages III and IV were more common in cases over 1 year of age. In 20 patients diagnoses were incidental. Twenty-two of 87 (25.3%) had symptomatic spinal cord compression and 15 (17.3%) had Horner syndrome. Ten-year overall and event-free survival rates were 71.2% and 67.4%, respectively. Survival rates did not differ depending on the age being younger or older than 1 year. Ten-year survival rates were 88.8% in stages I, II, IVS; 65.3% in stage III and 27.8% in stage IV (P = 0.0002).


CONCLUSIONS
Thoracic NBLs had a favorable prognosis. This might be a result of earlier diagnosis and some distinct biological characteristics. Favorable prognosis would suggest less aggressive treatment for such patients. Further studies on the biological characteristics of NBLs in the thoracic site and their association with outcome should be done.
Demir
Haci Ahmet
HA
Department of Pediatric Oncology, Institute of Oncology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. hdemir@hacettepe.edu.tr
Yalçin
Bilgehan
B
Büyükpamukçu
Nebil
N
Kale
Gülsev
G
Varan
Ali
A
Akyüz
Canan
C
Kutluk
Tezer
T
Büyükpamukçu
Münevver
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011878:Radiotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents