Neuroblastoma in Europe: differences in the pattern of disease in the UK

Summary Background Neuroblastoma is a major contributor to childhood cancer mortality, but its prognosis varies with age and stage of disease, and some tumours regress spontaneously. Urinary screening programmes or clinical examination may detect the disease before symptoms appear, but the benefit of early diagnosis is uncertain. We examined the incidence, pattern, and presentation of neuroblastoma in four European countries. Methods Population-based incidence rates were derived for France, Austria, Germany, and the UK. Age, sex, and stage distribution were analysed by Mantel-Haenszel techniques and Poisson regression. The proportion of incidental diagnoses (cases without symptoms found at …