Para-O-methylation of the catecholamines in neuroblastoma.

By means of thin-layer chromatographic methods, iso-homovanillic acid (iso-HVA), iso-vanillactic acid (iso-VLA) and iso-vanilmandelic acid (iso-VMA) were determined in the urine of 10 children with neuroblastoma. The mean excretion of iso-HVA was 10.1% of total HVA excretion. Three patients excreted VLA; in their urine no iso-VLA was detected with certainty. All patients excreted high amounts of VMA; there was no detectable excretion of iso-VMA. Those results suggest that para-O-methylation could be limited to dopamine catabolism.