NCCN Releases First Neuroblastoma Treatment Recommendations

Rochelle Bagatell, MD

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has published its first ever set of treatment recommendations for neuroblastoma. The NCCN guidelines for neuroblastoma are the sixth set of recommendations focused on the treatment of patients with pediatric cancer.¹

“Neuroblastoma is a biologically and clinically heterogeneous cancer, which creates many challenges for those treating patients with this disease,” Rochelle Bagatell, MD, professor of Pediatrics and the Solid Tumor Section Chief at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania, and the chair of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®) Panel for Neuroblastoma, said in a press release. “The NCCN Guidelines were designed to assist clinicians caring for children with neuroblastoma by providing key information regarding risk stratification and by summarizing the data that have led to the current approaches to therapy. As new clinical trial results become available and as therapies evolve, we will continue to support providers by updating the guidelines over time.”

Version 1.2024 of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for neuroblastoma were published on February 7, 2024. The guidelines provide direction in terms of diagnosis, risk classification, and primary treatments for patients with low-, intermediate- and high-risk disease. Additionally, the guidelines contain information for clinicians regarding the principles of pathology, imaging, risk classification, systemic therapy, surgery, and radiation therapy, as well as surveillance/follow-up, response assessment, and monitoring for late effects.²

Bagatell will present an on-demand online session regarding the new NCCN guidelines for neuroblastoma as part of the NCCN 2024 Annual Conference, which is taking place in Orlando, Florida, on April 5 through 7, 2024.¹

“We are particularly concerned with figuring out how to minimize treatment where possible,” Julie R. Park, MD, chair of the Department of Oncology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and the Vice-Chair of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Neuroblastoma, said in the press release. “We wanted to make it easy for providers to quickly recognize which patients can have positive outcomes while experiencing less toxicity. That means including a lot of information on diagnosis and delving into analysis for molecular drivers and aspects of immunotherapy.”¹

There are now 87 unique NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, which encompass almost every cancer type and provide guidance regarding screening, prevention, and supportive care. The NCCN also offers guidelines for adolescent and young adult oncology.

“These new NCCN Guidelines for Neuroblastoma are the perfect platform for sharing how to think about this complicated disease and determine which categories of treatment should be considered for each individual patient,” Park said in the press release. “The guidelines break down how to incorporate the multi-disciplinary care that is needed, such as surgery or radiation, plus specific options for chemotherapy regimens.”

References

1. New resource for selecting best treatment path for young children with cancerous tumors published by NCCN. News release. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). February 7, 2024. Accessed February 12, 2024. https://www.nccn.org/home/news/newsdetails?NewsId=4406
2. NCCN. Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Neuroblastoma, version 1.2024. Accessed February 12, 2024. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/neuroblastoma.pdf