Therapeutic strategies for the treatment of neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma, the most common extracranial solid tumor in children, has a highly heterogeneous clinical presentation and course. Current risk-based therapy is usually effective in patients who have intermediate risk features, however, intensive treatment of advanced neuroblastoma in children over two years of age is far from satisfactory. Current therapeutic approaches include the optimization of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of conventional agents, as well as the development of novel targeted drugs, such as signal transduction and angiogenesis inhibitors, apoptosis/differentiation stimulators and immunotherapeutics. This review provides an overview of current treatment options and future perspectives for the therapy and prevention of neuroblastoma.