Tandem high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell rescue in patients over 1 year of age with stage 4 neuroblastoma

From June 1997 to August 2005, 52 consecutive newly diagnosed stage 4 neuroblastoma patients over 1 year of age were assigned to receive tandem high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell rescue (HDCT/ ASCR) as consolidation therapy. Fifty of the 52 patients underwent a first HDCT/ASCR and 44 patients underwent a second HDCT/ASCR. Eight patients (15.4%) died from treatment-related toxicity (seven during the second HDCT/ASCR). Total body irradiation (TBI) in the first HDCT/ASCR and a shorter interval (<12 weeks) between the first and second HDCT/ ASCR were associated with a higher rate of treatment-related death in the second HDCT/ASCR (P=0.032 and 0.095, respectively). The tumor relapsed or progressed in 11 patients, and 33 patients remained event free with a median follow-up of 53 months (range 19-117) from diagnosis. The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) (±95% confidence interval) for all 52 patients was 62.1±13.7%. The application of TBI and local radiotherapy, and a longer interval between the first and second HDCT/ASCR were independently associated with a better EFS (P=0.026, 0.007 and 0.020, respectively). However, further studies will be needed to decrease the toxic death rate in the second HDCT/ASCR while reducing the relapse rate.