Clinical and Para clinical Findings and Outcome of Neuroblastoma in Tabriz Children Hospital

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Neuroblastoma is the most common malignant tumor in infancy and childhood after the CNS malignancies. Diseases originated and spread of the neural crest cells that differentiated adrenal and sympathetic nerve network. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and stages disease in patients of Tabriz Children's Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 80 children under 14 years since March 2003 to March 2008 (6 years) with a diagnosis of neuroblastoma that have been hospitalized in Tabriz Children Hospital were investigated. Information were extracted from the hospitals records. Results: Of the 80 investigated patients, 33 cases were male and 47 were female. The mean patient age was 37.80 ± 31.86 month. Out of 80 patients, stage II in 9 patients (% 11.2), stage III in 19 cases (23.8%) and stage IV was seen in 52 patients (65%). The primary source of neuroblastoma in 26 cases (32.5%) was from the right adrenal and in 31 cases (38.8%) was the left adrenal, in 3 cases (3.8%) was from the mediastinum, in 3 cases (3.8%) from liver, in 3 cases (3.8%) was from hip and in 14 cases (17.5%) was from the paravertebral. Paraneoplastic symptoms were positive in 13 patients (16.25%). Neurological symptoms were positive in 13 patients (16.25%). Weight loss was found in 44 patients (55%). Fever was found in 43 patients (53.8%). Hematuria was found in 25 patients (31.2%). In terms of platelet count, thrombocytopenia was seen in 33 patients (41.25%). Mean systolic blood pressure was 86.94 ± 13.34 and mean diastolic blood pressure in evaluated patients was 54.88 ± 8.45 mmHg. Mean serum LDH level in patients was 1665.4 ± 1532.51. The serum LDH levels showed a significant correlation with patient's condition at discharge with P = 0.04. Conclusions: Clinical symptoms, paraneoplastic symptoms, weight loss and fever were the most prominent finding in patients with neuroblastoma. The most common region for evaluation in terms of primary source for neuroblastoma was left adrenal. There was a significant correlation between serum LDH level and patient’s outcome

Keywords: Clinical findings, Laboratory findings, Neuroblastoma