DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Neuroblastoma with diagnosis based on one of the following: Histologic confirmation Cytologic confirmation in bone marrow and elevated catecholamine metabolites Typical tumor appearance on CT, MRI, or ultrasound and: Unequivocal MIBG uptake in tumor Elevated catecholamines in serum or urine No primitive neuroectodermal tumor or primary intracerebral neuroblastoma Such patients referred to protocol GER-HIT90