The impact of chemotherapy on advanced neuroblastoma. Survival of patients diagnosed in 1956, 1962, and 1966-68 in Children's Cancer Study Group A.

Survival statistics from 50 children with disseminated neuroblastoma, treated according to two CCSGA protocols between 1966 and 1968, are compared to those collected by Sutow and associates for 1956 and 1962. Little improvement occurred in the median survival rates of the children in these groups. Survival at 24 months is 13, 22, and 13 per cent, respectively, for the three groups. The lack of improvement in the median survival rate following treatment with a combination of VCR and CPM is attributed to an initial response rate of less than 40 per cent in the treated patients. The survival of patients who did respond, when compared to those who did not, was twice as long (15 vs. 7 months). Clearly, improved chemotherapy or other modes of treatment are needed for patients with advanced neuroblastoma at the time of diagnosis.