['To test whether patients with Askin tumor treated with aggressive neoadjuvant chemotherapy have a better clinical outcome.', 'Retrospective case series.', 'Pediatric referral center.', 'All children diagnosed with malignant small-cell tumors of the chest wall (Askin tumor) and treated from 1975 to September 1987 (phase 1, n = 6) and from September 1987 to the present (phase 2, n = 9).', 'Survival as a function of extent of disease and response to therapy as measured by tumor volume, survival, and recurrence.', 'All phase 2 patients had significant reduction of tumor volume and improved survival by Kaplan-Meier estimates compared with phase 1 patients. No phase 1 patients are still alive.'] Does preresection chemotherapy improve survival for children with Askin tumors?