Survival Statistics and the Long-Term Outlook
The treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma in the US is one of the most intensive protocols in pediatric oncology, consisting of three distinct phases designed to eliminate every trace of the disease.
The Induction Phase uses high-dose chemotherapy combinations—often the RAPID COJEC or GPOH regimens—to shrink the primary tumor and clear metastatic spread. This is followed by a Consolidation Phase, which typically involves a tandem (double) autologous stem cell transplant to "rescue" the bone marrow after ultra-high-dose chemotherapy. The final Maintenance Phase focuses on Minimal Residual Disease (MRD). It utilizes a combination of dinutuximab (an anti-GD2 immunotherapy), cytokines to boost the immune response, and isotretinoin (a retinoid) to encourage any remaining cancer cells to mature into normal, non-cancerous cells.