Serum vanillylmandelic acid/homovanillic acid contributes to prognosis estimation in patients with localised but not with metastatic neuroblastoma

Eur J Cancer. 1992;28A(12):1950-4. doi: 10.1016/0959-8049(92)90234-s.

Abstract

In 211 patients with neuroblastoma, serum vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) levels were determined and correlated to stage, histological differentiation, ferritin, neuron-specific enolase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and outcome. Elevated serum VMA and/or HVA levels were found 16% less frequently than elevated urine levels. The incidence of the elevated serum levels increased with stage (stages I-III 58%, IV 78%, IVS 100%). Increased VMA/HVA ratios were not associated with a higher grade of tumour differentiation. Serum ferritin and neuron-specific enolase showed no correlation, and LDH a borderline non-random correlation with the serum catecholamine metabolites. Using age-related reference values a quotient of serum VMA/HVA (P = 0.061) < 0.7 indicated a poorer event-free survival (48 +/- 10%) than ratios > or = 0.7 (event-free survival 81 +/- 6%) for children with localised neuroblastoma (P = 0.0004). No correlation with prognosis was detected for patients with stage IV and stage IVS disease. We conclude that serum VMA and HVA determinations may be useful as tumour markers for 71% of neuroblastoma patients, and aid in estimating the prognosis in children with localised disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Homovanillic Acid / blood*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Neuroblastoma / blood*
  • Neuroblastoma / pathology
  • Neuroblastoma / secondary
  • Prognosis
  • Vanilmandelic Acid / blood*

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Vanilmandelic Acid
  • Homovanillic Acid