Effect of Surgery in Pediatric Neuroblastoma with Spinal Involvement

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Neuroblastoma is a very common pediatric malignant tumor and sometimes involves the spinal cord to result in neurological deficits. The authors perform a retrospective analysis of the 12 cases of pediatric neuroblastoma with spinal involvement to assess the characteristics and surgical outcome. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the 12 cases of pediatric neuroblastoma with spinal involvement which underwent surgery from 1988 to 2002 in our hospital. All the cases were confirmed by pathologic diagnosis and reviewed about initial presentation, the location of tumor, treatment, outcome and complication. RESULTS: The ratio of male to female was 1: 2 and mean age was 3.5 years(0.3-13.6). The chief complaint was motor weakness in 7 cases, mass in 2, urinary incontinence in one and 2 cases were asymptomatic. The tumor involved thoracic level in 5 cases, thoracolumbar level in 3, cervicothoracic level in 2, cervical and lumbar levels in one case each. All the cases underwent surgery, four had chemotherapy and four had both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. After 33.9 months of mean follow up, in all of the 4 cases whose intraspinal tumor was gross-totally resected, neurological status improved. Of the 4 cases with subtotal resection, all except one showed progression or no neurologic improvement. Postoperative spinal deformity has developed in 5 cases. Three cases expired because of chemotherapy complication and tumor progression. CONCLUSION: Active surgery about the spinal involvement of pediatric neuroblastoma shows neurological improvement regardless of the survival. It seems to be helpful to the quality of life in pediatric patients.