Treatment of neuroblastoma with 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine: the experience of an Italian Study Group.

Eight patients affected by neuroblastoma were treated with 18 courses of 131I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG). They all had been judged as "nonresponders" to conventional treatments. Six had stage IV disease: of these, five, with massive marrow involvement, had poor results, mainly because of marrow depression; one, whose marrow had been previously purged by chemotherapy, showed a decrease in blood cell counts but not to critical levels, thus allowing repeated treatments and some improvement. Two other cases had stage III disease, without marrow involvement. Both could receive repeated treatments without adverse effects on marrow and circulating blood cells; both could have surgical procedures when a significant neoplastic mass reduction had been induced by MIBG treatments. Almost all patients experienced reduction or disappearing of pain. Treatments were well tolerated.