MYCN amplification does not affect survival of neuroblastoma patients treated with autologous bone marrow transplantation

From an extended series of neuroblastoma cases evaluated for MYCN amplification (MNA) at the 'G. Gaslini' Hospital 15 (4 with and 11 without MNA) underwent myeloablative therapy and bone marrow transplantation (MAT-ABMT). Such cases ranged in age at diagnosis from 13 months to 7 years and were followed up at least 8 months after MAT-ABMT. MNA was present in 2/10 cases dead for disease, in 0/1 cases alive with disease, and in 2/4 cases presently in complete clinical remission. This preliminary evidence would discourage to consider MNA as a marker capable of predicting the final outcome of patients with metastatic neuroblastoma.