Relationship between clinical features, genetic factors, and prognosis in neuroblastoma patients: A single institution’s experience

Between 1997 and 2003, 47 patients with neuroblastoma were treated at the Mother and Child Health Institute of Serbia. The objective of the present study was to determine the relationship between clinical and genetic features and prognosis in neuroblastoma. The 5-year survival rate was best in the age group of less than 1 year (73% vs. 15%; p=0.007) and significantly worse for patients with stage IV than for "non stage IV", patients (13% vs. 47%; p=0.015). The difference in 5-year survival between the 1p deletion positive and 1p deletion negative groups was statistically significant (p=0.008). Overall 5-year survival was significantly worse for patients with N-myc amplification (19% vs. 58%; p=0.014). The difference in the 5-year survival for male and female patients was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Our report demonstrates that N-myc amplification, 1p deletion, stage IV, and age of 1 year and over are factors pointing strongly to an unfavorable outcome in neuroblastoma patients.