An epidemiological study of neuroblastoma in the Auvergne area of France (departments: Puy-de-Dôme, Allier, Cantal, Haute-Loire) was carried out over a 6 years period (1986-1991). Nineteen cases of neuroblastoma were registered during this period. The annual incidence rate is 1.2 among 100,000 children under the age of 15 years. Similar incidence rates from other studies have been reported in the literature. In the department of Rhône, France, a screening program for neuroblastoma was initiated in 1990. The Auvergne area may constitute a population-based control group.