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Complete pathologic maturation and regression of stage ivs neuroblastoma without treatment
Author(s) -
Haas Daphne,
Ablin Arthur R.,
Miller Cynthia,
Zoger Seymour,
Matthay Katherine K.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19880815)62:4<818::aid-cncr2820620430>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - neuroblastoma , medicine , enolase , involution (esoterism) , bone marrow , stage (stratigraphy) , pathology , oncology , cancer research , immunohistochemistry , biology , paleontology , consciousness , genetics , neuroscience , cell culture
Spontaneous maturation of Stage IVS neuroblastoma has been postulated as a mechanism for its favorable prognosis, but this has rarely been documented pathologically. We report on a patient with congenital Stage IVS neuroblastoma who had extensive subcutaneous and bone‐marrow involvement. Serial photographs, biopsies, and vanillomandelic acid determinations documented the tumor's initial progression which was followed by spontaneous maturation and involution of the patient's disease over a 6‐year period. No cytotoxic therapy was administered. Favorable biologic prognostic factors were documented, including tumor DNA and protein analyses for N‐ myc amplification or overexpression and analysis for serum neuron‐specific enolase and ferritin. Implications for management and therapy of Stage IVS neuroblastoma are discussed with reference to this case and the recent literature.