Background: The objective of this study was to define the prognostic significance of hospital surgical volume on outcomes for pediatric neuroblastoma and Wilms tumor.
Methods: The Florida Cancer Data System was examined for all pediatric patients treated between 1981 and 2004.
Results: Of the 869 patients with neuroblastoma identified, 463 were treated at 5 high-volume centers (HVC) and 406 were treated at 61 low-volume centers (LVC). There were no differences in sex, age at diagnosis, race, ethnicity, or stage of disease between the 2 groups. The 5- and 10-year survival rates were identical between treatment groups (70.6% and 67.7% at HVC vs 69.3% and 65.2% at LVC, P = .243). Multivariate analysis identified age at diagnosis and tumor stage as independent prognostic factors. Of the 790 patients with Wilms tumor identified, 395 were treated at 5 HVC and 395 were treated at 50 LVC. There were no differences in sex, age of diagnosis, or stage of disease between the 2 groups. The 5- and 10-year survival rates were identical between treatment groups (91.3% and 89.9% at HVC vs 89.7% and 88.5% at LVC, P = .698). Multivariate analysis identified ethnicity, tumor stage, and use of chemotherapy as independent prognostic factors.
Conclusion: Survival rates for patients with neuroblastoma and Wilms tumor are unrelated to the hospital surgical volume or patient race. This result stands in stark contrast to a variety of adult malignancies. Models used for pediatric patient care for cancer may provide insight into ways to improve the treatment of adult patients in need of complex cancer care.