Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase as a Marker Useful for Monitoring the Effectiveness of Therapy in Patients with Neuroblastoma

Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase as a Marker Useful for Monitoring the Effectiveness of Therapy in Patients with Neuroblastoma as Compared with Urinary Catecholamine Metabolites

KUMIKO HASHIMOTO1), YOH-ICHI GOTOH1) and KEIYA TADA1)

1) Department of Pediatrics, Tohoku University School of Medicine


HASHIMOTO, K., GOTOH, Y. and TADA, K. Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase as a Marker Useful for Monitoring the Effectiveness of Therapy in Patients with Neuroblastoma-as Compared with Urinary Catecholamine Metabolites. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1986, 149 (1), 25-30-Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in sera of 3 patients with neuroblastoma (Stage IV) were measured by radioimmunoassay, as compared with urinary catecholamine metabolites (vanillyl-mandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA)) during the course of chemotherapy, radiation, and second look operation. In Case 1(Stage IV B) and Case 3 (Stage IV A), NSE level on admission was found to be elevated to 51.0ng/ml and 25.5ng/ml, respectively. VMA and HVA were also elevated. In Case 2 (Stage IV A), NSE on admission was elevated to 128.0ng/ml., HVA was high, but VMA was within normal range. From 1 to 3 weeks after chemotherapy and radiation, high levels of urinary VMA and/or HVA in patients promptly decreased within normal range. The size of primary tumor masses either showed no marked change or slightly decreased by radiological examinations. After intensive chemotherapy, high levels of serum NSE decreased within normal range. At that time, second look operations were carried out. The size of primary tumors was reduced (3.6×2.7×2.1cm in average) and almost all masses had scarred over. These data suggest that serum NSE levels correlate very well with residual tumor burdens.


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