Serial studies of serum dopamine-B-hydroxylase and urinary vanillylmandelic and homovanillic acids in neuroblastoma.

Recent reports have suggested that elevations of serum dopamine-B-hydroxylase (DBH) activity may correlate with diagnosis in neuroblastoma patients excreting vanillylmandelic acid (VMA). We have serially studied serum DBH and urinary homovanillic acid (HVA) and VMA excretion during the disease course of five patients with neuroblastoma. DBH activities did not indicate clinical course, therapies, or prognosis. Dilution studies revealed an age-related alteration in DBH effectors and they suggest that these may be different in neuroblastoma.