Rascher W, Kremens B, Wagner S, Feth F, Hunneman D H, Lang R E
University Children's Hospitals, Essen, Germany.
J Pediatr. 1993 Jun;122(6):914-6. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(09)90018-x.
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) was studied as a marker for neuroblastoma in 12 children. All but one patient with neuroblastoma had elevated plasma NPY concentrations at diagnosis. During treatment NPY values returned to normal in 9 of 12 children. All three children without normalization of plasma NPY values died; two of them had a relapse and the third died of toxic effects. Plasma NPY appears to be a sensitive marker of neuroblastoma.