Abstract
Excretion of catecholamine metabolites in increased quantities is found in urine of patients with neuroblastoma. To determine if initial pattern of excretion is related to ultimate prognosis, quantitative studies using a paper chromatography technique on single-voided urine specimen obtained at diagnosis from 55 children with neuroblastoma were performed. This retrospective study revealed that the homovanillic acid/vanilmandelic acid ratio (HVA/VMA) was highly predictive: Poor prognosis was correlated with higher levels of HVA relative to VMA (p = 0.003). This correlation was independent of age of patient, stage or histologic grade of tumor (p = 0.02). The presence of cystathionine (p = 0.007), vanillacetic acid (p = 0.009) and/or 3-metoxytyrosine (p = 0.04) also indicated poor prognosis. In contrast the presence of vanilglycol, normetanephrine or β-aminoisobutyric acid did not correlate with prognosis, nor did the absolute levels of VMA or HVA. Therefore initial excretion patterns of urinary catecholamine metabolites may be predictive in ultimate prognosis in neuroblastoma.
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Laug, W., Siegel, S., Shaw, K. et al. 167: Initial Urinary Catecholamine Metabolites and Prognosis in Neuroblastoma. Pediatr Res 10, 898 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197610000-00158
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197610000-00158