CATECHOLAMINES AND THEIR ACIDIC METABOLITES IN URINE AND IN TUMOUR TISSUE IN NEUROBLASTOMA GANGLIONEUROMA AND PHAEOCHROMOCYTOMA

A study of the excretion in urine of free catecholamines and their acidic metabolites in 29 patients with neuroblastoma or ganglioneuroma showed that increased excretion of dopamine and homovanillic acid was more frequent than increased excretion of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid or free adrenalin and noradrenalin. Generally, more variation of the excretion pattern was found between individuals and, in the same patient, during the course of the disease in patients harbouring these tumours than in 7 patients with benign phaeochromocytoma. Follow-up studies are presented in 10 patients covering periods of 1 month to 4 years after treatment. Analysis of tumour tissue of 4 neuroblastomata, 2 ganglioneuromata and 5 phaeochromocytomata demonstrated the greater storage capacity for adrenalin and noradrenalin of the benign forms of the latter type of tumour. © 1969.