Consequences of erythropoietin production by neoplasms.

Neoplastic lesions of the kidney and certain other organs are sometimes associated with increased erythropoietin and/or erythrocytosis in man and experimental animals. It seems likely that measurement of erythropoietin, although not specific, could be helpful in detecting renal neoplasms and in following the progress of treated tumors of the kidney and certain other organs. Increasing the sensitivity of the assay of erythropoietin in the exhypoxic mouse, a functional assay, or in an immunologic assay of specific protein concentration might aid in the early detection of yet another hormone marker of neoplasia.