title: Catecholamine production in patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation is a classical feature of gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) neuroendocrine tumors (NET). Production of catecholamines was studied in GEP NET and non-NET patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was undertaken.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied catecholamine and metabolite secretion in 115 consecutive GEP NET patients and in 20 patients with non-NET. After specific extraction, vanilmandelic acid, homovanilic acid, catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine) and methoxylated derivates (metanephrine, normetanephrine, methoxytyramine) in urinary extracts were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. Results were indexed to the 24-h urinary creatinine levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 115 patients with NET, 9 (8%) had an increase of at least one urinary catecholamine or metabolite; in 7 out of the 9 the increase was slight being less than twice the upper value of the normal range. Elevated urinary dopamine (3 patients), methoxytyramine (6 patients), norepinephrine (2 patients) and normetanephrine (2 patients) were found. No increased urinary excretion of epinephrine nor metanephrine was observed. An adrenal mass existed in one of these nine patients but metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy was negative as was immunohistochemistry for epithelial markers. None of the 20 patients with non-NET demonstrated an increased excretion of catecholamine or metabolites. No relationships were found between catecholamine and metabolite excretions and patients' tumor and treatment characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Production of catecholamines and metabolites is a rare event in GEP NET patients. Histological results, including positive immunohistochemistry for epithelial markers may help to diagnose GEP NET.
authors.affiliation: Service de Mëdecine Nucléaire, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciofu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baudin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chanson
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Cailleux
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Comoy
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sabourin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ducreux
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schaison
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlumberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines