Abstract

Objective: There are few reported abdominal neuroblastoma series from Turkey. Here we share our surgical experience on abdominal neuroblastoma cases.Patients and methods: Abdominal neuroblastoma cases diagnosed and treated between 2000 and 2005 were documented. Diagnostic methods, stage, surgical treatment and survival were evaluated.Results: Twenty-three patients aged between 4 months and 8 years with the diagnosis of abdominal neuroblastoma were operated. Sixty five percent of the patients were stage 3 or 4. While diagnosis in high stage patients were by open biopsy (n=6) or partial resection (n=1) until 2000, core needle biopsy (n=8) was preferred later. In one patient diagnosis was madeBRwith bone marrow biopsy and high VMA levels. Five patients had initial total tumor resection. After chemotherapy, 5 patients had late primary total, 5 had partial tumor resection. One patient had local relapse resection on follow-up. Eighteen patients were evaluated for survival. Eight patients died in mean 17.1 months (44.4 %). One patient left treatment, oneBRpatient sent home because of tumor progression and one patient is still on treatment. Seven patients (38.9 %) have completed their treatment and still alive, 2 with stable residual tumors. The others are tumor-free. Mean follow-up is 28.4 months.Conclusion: Most of our patients had high stage disease on admission. In these cases, core needle biopsies were preferred for tissue diagnosis. Late primary surgery was found technically easier in needle biopsied cases.

Key words: neuroblastoma, core needle biopsy