ObjectiveTo analyze the disease characteristics and prognostic factors of adult neuroblastoma (NB) using tumor epidemiological data collected from the SEER database.

MethodsWe extracted data of primary NB patients diagnosed by positive histology during 1975-2016 from the SEER database.Patients were grouped into adults and adolescents according to the age of diagnosis.The competing-risk model and Kaplan-Meier plot were used to compare survival rates.Cox regression model was used to identify prognostic factors in adult patients.According to the multivariate model, a nomogram was developed to assist clinical diagnosis and treatment.

ResultsThe prognosis of adult patients was worse than that of adolescents (P < 0.01).Univariate analysis of adult NB revealed that age ≥ 50 years old, surgical treatment, the primary tumor site of nasopharynx, peripheral nervous system, histological subtypes, and chemotherapy were all prognostic factors (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).The adjusted multivariable analysis showed that age, surgery, and the location of the primary tumor had statistically significant effects on the survival rate of patients (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).The established nomogram was used to predict the 3-year and 5-year survival rates of adult NB patients.The internal validation of the nomogram showed that the prediction method could distinguish high-risk patients from low-risk patients.

ConclusionsThe prognostic factors of adult patients with NB are complex and diverse.Early diagnosis and timely surgical treatment can improve their survival rate.