Detection of metastatic tumor cells in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) of children with neuroblastoma is crucial for prognosis and planning of therapy. Aims of this large descriptive repeated survey were to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of different techniques in diagnostic samples obtained at several disease course time points and to correlate positive results with patient clinical features and outcome.
Detection of neuroblastoma cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood by different techniques: accuracy and relationship with clinical features of patients.
Laboratory of Oncology, Service of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Hematology-Oncology, and Service of Pathology, Istituto Gaslini, L.go Gaslini, 5, 16148 Genoa, Italy. mariavaleriacorrias@ospedale-gaslini,ge,it
