Isolation and characterization of a neuroblastoma cell line from peripheral blood in a patient with disseminated disease.

Circulation in the blood stream of neuroblastoma cells was confirmed by establishment of a cell line from the peripheral blood of a child with disseminated disease. The morphologic, enzymatic, and chromosomal pattern of this cell line was similar to a cell line established from the primary tumor on a previous occasion. The peripheral blood smear did not demonstrate tumor cells but increased numbers of atypical monocytes; lymphoblasts were evident, which may have been unrecognized neuroblasts.