Plasma L-dopa in the diagnosis of patients with melanoma

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · J. Nucl. Med.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6861984

Camp, V M; Murray, D R; Faraj, B A

Melanoma is one of a group of neoplasms that is characterized biochemically by abnormal tyrosine metabolism. The main objective of this paper is to establish whether or not the measurement of plasma L-dopa represents a specific indicator for the biochemical diagnosis of melanoma. Two groups of patients were studied: group 1 consisted of 20 patients with stage 2 and 3 disseminated melanoma, and group 2 consisted of 20 patients with non-malignant melanoma. L-dopa in plasma was measured by a radio-enzymatic technique. The method was based upon the incubation (37/sup 0/C, 40 min) of 50 ..mu..l of plasma in the presence of catechol-O-methyltransferase, dopa decarboxylase and S-(3H)-adenosylmethionine (5 ..mu..Ci, sp. act. ci/mmol). The formed methylated decarboxylated metabolite 3H-3-0-methyldopamine was characterized by radiochromatographic analysis. The results of the study showed that plasma L-dopa was elevated significantly in patients with disseminated melanoma (av 4.9 ng/ml) as compared with non-malignant melanoma patients (av 0.9 ng/ml) and control subjects. The measurement of plasm L-dopa represents a specific marker for detection of metastatic melanoma.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Radiology (Div. Nuc. Med.), Emory Univ. School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
• OSTI ID: 6861984
• Report Number(s): CONF-840619-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: J. Nucl. Med.; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550501 -- Metabolism-- Tracer Techniques
550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
AMINO ACIDS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMISTRY
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC USES
DISEASES
DOPA
DRUGS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
HYDROXY ACIDS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MELANOMAS
METABOLISM
NEOPLASMS
NEUROREGULATORS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PATIENTS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOPHARMACEUTICALS
USES