[Neuroblastoma study NBL79-society of pediatric oncology -- report after 1 year (author's transl)].

Within 1 year 74 children with neuroblastoma were registered, 30 patients with stage I-III (= 41%) and 44 with stage IV-metastatic disease (= 59%). An aggressive chemotherapy regimen employing Adriamycine, Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, and Dacarbazine yielded 10/24 partial and 9/24 complete remissions after 9 weeks. 5/24 children were treated less than 9 weeks so far. At the end of the chemotherapy protocol (week 33) 6 recurrences were observed; 3 of these children died. 5 patients remained in complete remission, 1 in partial remission. 12/24 of patients were not evaluable because of treatment less than 33 weeks so far. The one year run of the study is too short to evaluate the benefit of Interferon (randomized trial). The toxicity of the regimen is tolerable, including bone marrow depression, vomiting and hyperpyrexia. Breaking off therapy was only necessary in one patient.