title: Neuroblastoma in patients over 12 years old: a 20-year experience at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neuroblastoma is the most common solid extracranial tumor in children. The median age of onset is 2 years, with more than 95% of patients younger than 10 years at diagnosis. As neuroblastoma is rare in adolescents and exceedingly rare in adults, few series are reported in the literature. In the present study, we analyzed the outcomes and clinical characteristics of a mono-institutional series.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe 27 consecutive patients over 12 years of age (range, 12-69) with previously untreated neuroblastoma treated at our Institution between 1982 and 2001.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall survival at 5 and 10 years was 40% and 20%, respectively, and progression-free survival at 5 and 10 years was 18%. In the present series, there was a long interval between the onset of signs/symptoms and diagnosis, and between recurrence/progression and death. None had MYCN amplification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The passive course of the disease in most of our patients did not reflect a more favorable outcome compared with younger patients, thus suggesting a possible genetically different subset of neuroblastoma in older patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy. marta.podda@istitutotumori.mi.it
authors.forename: Marta Giorgia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Podda
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luksch
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Polastri
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandola
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piva
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Collini
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cefalo
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terenziani
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spreafico
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meazza
authors.forename: Maria Rita
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Catania
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schiavello
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchianò
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massimino
mesh_terms: D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult