A number of studies have shown that in patients <18 months of age with metastatic disease, hyperdiploidy in combination with a non-amplified MYCN gene and the lack of specific segmental chromosome aberrations (such as 11q deletion) are predictive of a favourable outcome (George et al, 2005; Schleiermacher et al, 2007). The gene discussed is MYCN; the disease is metastatic neoplasm.