Determination of urine neuron-specific enolase levels in neuroblastoma patients.

Urine levels of neuron-specific enolase were determined in 3 neuroblastoma patients (1 in an advanced state and 2 in remission), 25 control children, 37 control adults and 4 children with hematuria by means of the double-antibody inhibition radioimmunoassay specific to the gamma subunit of enolase isozymes. The levels of neuron-specific enolase mean +/- S.D. ng/creatinine mg in an advanced neuroblastoma patient were elevated (1.25 +/- 0.29 before or after treatment and range 1.61-74.2 during treatment) when compared with those of control subjects (0.51 +/- 0.26 in children and 0.36 +/- 0.17 in adults). The levels in 2 neuroblastoma patients in remission were within normal range. Urine samples with hematuria were not used for the assay.