Beta-Glucan and Monoclonal Antibody 3F8 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Neuroblastoma

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Diagnosis of neuroblastoma by 1 of the following methods:
• •* Histopathology
• •* Bone marrow involvement AND elevated urinary catecholamines
• •High-risk disease, defined by 1 of the following:
• •* Stage 4 disease with MYCN amplification (any age) or without MYCN amplification (\> 18 months of age)
• •* MYCN-amplified stage 3 disease (unresectable and any age)
• •* MYCN-amplified stage 4S disease
• •Metastatic disease
• •Tumor progression or persistent disease (at metastatic or primary site) after intensive conventional chemotherapy
• •Must have evaluable (microscopic marrow metastasis, elevated tumor markers, positive MIBG or PET scans) or measurable (CT scan or MRI) disease documented after completion of prior systemic therapy
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Platelet count \> 25,000/mm\^3
• •ANC \> 500/mm\^3
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No history of allergy to mouse proteins, beta-glucan, mushrooms, or yeast
• •No active life-threatening infections
• •No severe major organ toxicity
• •* Concurrent toxicity must be ≤ grade 2 except for the following, which may be grade 3:
• •* Myelosuppression
• •* Hearing loss
• •* Alopecia
• •* Anorexia
• •* Nausea
• •* Hyperbilirubinemia from TPN
• •* Anxiety
• •* Hypomagnesemia
• •No prior HAMA titer \> 1,000 U/mL by ELISA
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •No concurrent supplemental beta-glucan in food (e.g., bran cereals or mushrooms) or as complementary medicine
• •No other concurrent systemic anticancer medications (e.g., hormonal agents, chemotherapy, investigational agents, or immunotherapy)
• •* Concurrent isotretinoin allowed after the second course of study treatment is completed or if the patient develops human antimouse antibody (HAMA)