Pressor Amines and Neuroblastoma

Abstract

Isaacs, Medalie and Politzer¹ describe three cases of neuroblastoma in children in whom the 24-hr. excretion of noradrenaline in urine was 200–300 µgm. This is not a vast amount but may be abnormally high. The suggestion was that neuroblastoma is a tumour which, like phæochromocytoma, secretes pressor amines. On March 23, 1959, I obtained, by courtesy of Dr. P. T. Bray, a specimen of tumour infiltrating the left kidney, taken by Mr. H. Wade from a boy aged nine years at East Glamorgan Hospital, Church Village, Glamorgan, and kept frozen. This tumour was reported by the histopathologist to be typical neuroblastoma; the whole specimen weighed approximately 450 gm. of which some 300 gm. was tumour. 50 gm. was excised from the region which had been used for histology, cut up fine and homogenized with 50 ml. of water containing 5 mgm. ascorbic acid. This was spun at 3,000 r.p.m. for 15 min. and the supernatant examined on the blood pressure of the spinal rat injected with atropine and a ganglion blocker. Such a preparation responds to adrenaline 0.1 µgm., noradrenaline 0.05 µgm. or 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 µgm. with a pressor response.