Resection of primary tumor in stage 4S neuroblastoma: a second study by the Italian Neuroblastoma Group

This Italian study of 172 infants with stage 4S neuroblastoma found significantly better 5-year survival in patients who underwent upfront primary tumor resection versus observation (96.8% vs 85.7% overall survival). While selection bias limits definitive conclusions about surgery's benefit, the study emphasizes obtaining adequate tumor tissue for biological studies to guide treatment decisions in this favorable-prognosis infant cancer subtype.