title: Methylated catecholamine metabolites for diagnosis of neuroblastoma.
abstract: Assays of urinary catecholamines and their metabolites (HVA, VMA, dopamine) permit biochemical diagnosis of neuroblastoma in approximately 80% of patients. The urinary methylated catecholamine metabolites normetanephrine (NMN), metanephrine (MN), and 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT) were analyzed in 18 patients with neuroblastoma and compared with reference values established for 69 healthy pediatric controls. All 18 neuroblastoma patients had raised urinary excretion of at least one of the three commonly assayed metabolites (HVA, VMA, dopamine). Similarly, raised urinary excretion of a methylated metabolite was noted in all but one of the neuroblastoma patients. The 3-MT level was pathologic in 16 of the 18 patients (89%). In this series, 3-MT assay sensitivity was sufficient to warrant trials on a larger population including comparison with patients considered nonsecretors by routine assay procedures.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie, Hôpital Pasteur, Nice, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Candito
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thyss
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albertini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deville
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Politano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chambon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004298:Dopamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008676:Metanephrine / Q000652:urine*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D009647:Normetanephrine / Q000652:urine*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D009647:Normetanephrine; D008676:Metanephrine; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid; C001746:3-methoxytyramine; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid; D004837:Epinephrine