Determination of plasma erythropoietin levels: an early marker of tumor activity.
A young female patient developed erythrocytosis during the third recurrence of a cerebellar hemangioblastoma. Elevated erythropoietin levels were found in the patient's plasma with normalization after resection of the tumor. High erythropoietin titers were also found in the tumor saline extract. A fourth recurrence of the tumor was heralded by a rising plasma erythropoietin level and gradual erythrocytosis despite the absence of change in the clinical picture or the brain scan. In this case, serial plasma erythropoietin determinations served as a useful early marker of the tumor activity.
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D011086:Polycythemia / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D012008:Recurrence
D006729:Hormones, Ectopic; D004921:Erythropoietin