Table 1 Clinical features of the study cohort and the control group

Localization

 Adrenal

51/161

0.613^*

15/55

66/216

0.001 ^*

256/591

31.7 %

27.3 %

30.6 %

43.3 %

 Abdomino-pelvic

67/161

21/55

88/216

211/591

41.6 %

38.2 %

40.7%

35.7 %

 Thoraco-cervical

43/161

19/55

62/216

123/591

26.7 %

34.5 %

28.7 %

20.8 %

INSS-stage

 Stage 1

112/160

0.404^**

35/55

147/215

<0.001 ^**

216/591

70.0 %

63.6 %

68.4%

36.5 %

 Stage 2

30/160

16/55

46/215

201/591

18.8 %

29.1 %

21.4%

34.0 %

 Stage 3

18/160

4/55

22/215

174/591

11.3 %

7.3 %

10.2%

29.4 %

Intraspinal tumor

16/162

0.223

9/55

25/217

0.212

89/591

9.9 %

16.4 %

11.5 %

15.1 %

Tumor Volume (median; range)

75 ml

(1.6 – 1100)

0.228

56.9 ml

(1.5 – 871.9)

70.8 ml

(1.5 – 1100)

0.001

49.5 ml

(0.6 – 2300)

Positive mIBG-uptake

27/110

<0.001

22/36

49/146

<0.001

398/444

24.5 %

61.1 %

33.6 %

89.6 %

HVA elevated

45/142

0.001

27/44

72/186

<0.001

327/531

31.7 %

61.4 %

38.7 %

61.6 %

Elevation of HVA above upper limit (median; range)

0.98x

(0.22 - 8.1)

0.137

1.46x

(0.18 – 7.87)

1.1x

(0.18 – 8.1)

0.029

1.5x

(0.25 – 29)

VMA elevated

28/145

<0.001

23/47

51/192

<0.001

345/538

19.3 %

48.9 %

26.6%

64.1 %

Elevation of VMA above upper limit (median; range)

0.71x

(0.17 – 16.1)

0.061

1.3x

(0.21 – 6.7)

0.9x

(0.17 – 16.1)

<0.001

2.1x

(0.24 – 40.3)

NSE elevated

50/124

0.150

22/41

72/165

<0.001

372/487

40.3 %

53.7 %

43.6 %

76.4 %

NSE level (median; range)

18.3 ng/ml

(4.9 – 49.7)

0.706

20.0 ng/ml

(9.5 – 49.0)

19.0 ng/ml

(4.9 – 49.7)

<0.001

37.2 ng/ml

(7 – 2054)

Diagnosis by chance

70/161

0.163

30/55

100/216

0.177

306/591

43.5 %

54,5 %

46.3 %

51.8 %