Neuroblastoma: a surgical perspective

The role of an aggressive surgical policy in the management of neuroblastoma (NBL) was examined in a retrospective study from a total of 57 patients presenting to a single institution between 1979 and 1989. Surgery consisted of either primary excision of tumour or elective resection following intensive chemotherapy. Two year disease-free survival (DFS) for the entire group was 100% for Stage I patients (n=2), 86% for Stage II (n=7), 55% for Stage III (n=11), 12% for stage IV (n=33) and 50% for stage IVs (n=4). In all long-term survivors, surgical excision of primary tumour had been achieved