[Epidemiology of neuroblastoma in Brittany over a 10-year period (1980-1989)].

Abstract

We report the results of a retrospective epidemiologic study on neuroblastoma in Brittany, a region of France characterized by an homogeneous sedentary population living on a granitic ground. During a period of 10 years (1980-1989), 48 cases of neuroblastoma were observed, which gives an incidence of 7.92 cases per million of children under 15 years. There were 25 boys and 23 girls and 20 infants under 1 year (41%). The localisation was abdominal in 39 cases (81%). Among the 28 children older than 1 year, 25 (89%) had stage III and stage IV neuroblastomas, half of them with metastases. We conclude that the incidence and the clinical presentation of neuroblastoma in Brittany are similar to those reported in other countries.