Purpose: To report the efficacy of low dose chemotherapy in the treatment for neuroblastoma (NB) in children. According to our laboratory research, using low dose chemotherapy is able to induce and differentiate the immature neuroblastic cells into mature cells. Materials and Methods: From 1986 to 2010, 155 NB patients enrolled into this study. All the 155 cases were treated by low dose chemotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine, and/or low dose chemo+surgery (mass only partially resected )+low dose chemo continuously+ second. surgery.
Results: In the 155 NB cases, there were 8 cases who were treated by low dose chemotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine only, the tumor disappeared completely. In these 8 cases, five were Stage IVs, 2 were Stage IV and one was Stage III. There were 3 cases the treatment was low dose chemo+ surgery (only partial resection) after surgery low dose chemo continued, finally, a second surgery was performed, the mass was completely removed which was confirmed by pathology to be a GN. There were 2 cases the patients were treated by low dose chemo + traditional Chinese medicine only, the huge tumor rapidly decreased in size and the mass became nodular-like with calcifications which remained stable for 2 and 4 years respectively. In one of which the cranial metastases was also decreased obviously.
Conclusion: According to our experience the low dose chemotherapy is efficient in the treatment of NB in children it can raise the survival rate of this malignant disease.