Abstract
One hundred and eighty-three patients with neuroblastoma were treated at National Children's Hospital, Tokyo, during the past 23 years from 1966 through October, 1988. Among them, six patients were found at mass-screening. At the initial stage, chemotherapy consisting of cydophosphamide and vincristine was given to the patients, but more intensive chemotherapy such as Sawaguchi's A_1 protocol is being used at present. Tumors are removed more completely at a secound look laparotomy, and intra-operalive irradiation has been employed for recent patients. To those patients who are supposed to have a poor prognosis but who showed a complete response (CR), high dose Melphalan treatment followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation is given. So far, the clinical results were excellent. Over all two-year survival rate was 41.8% in 1960s, 42.9% in 1970s and 54.8% in 1980s. Long-term follow-up results were obtained from 29 patients who survived for more than four years ; average age at follow-up being 14 years 8 months. It was found that functional disturbances were minimal in these patients.
