Clinical Analysis of Neuroblastoma

신경모세포종의 임상적 고찰

Neuroblastoma is a solid tumor derived from neural crest cells of the sympathetic nervous system. It is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children. Although it has the highest rate of spontaneous regression, it has a bad prognosis. Recent reports indicate a much improved outcomes utilizing the multitreatment approaches and early diagnosis as a result of patient screening. We have studied 42 patients managed in the last decade at the Severance and Yongdong Severance Hospitals. The patients were followed until January 1998 and analyzed in terms of age, sex, admission period, stage, diagnostic studies, clinical symptoms, physical findings, operative time, treatment modalities, and survival rate. Twenty eight patients underwent operative procedures, 16 patients had postoperative chemotherapy, and 19 patients had preoperative chemotherapy. Sexual difference was 1.33:1 in favor of males, and 43 % of patients were under one year of age. The patients were initially diagnosed as a result of symptoms and signs. An abdominal mass was the most common clinical finding. Eighty six percent of the patients were in advanced stages (>Stage III of INSS). The 2 year survival rate was 59.2 % and the 5 year survival rate was 29.6 %.