Urinary excretion of DOPA and metabolites by patients with melanoma

In an attempt to define a biochemical test which would be helpful in the care of individuals with malignant melanoma, urinary excretion of DOPA, homovanillic acid, dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid of 16 patients with advanced disease was measured. Abnormally high levels were found in only one half of the cases, the pattern varying among the patients. DOPA was the single compound which was most frequently excreted in large amounts. Preliminary studies suggest that serial determinations of DOPA may be useful in following response to therapy of those patients whose melanoma is associated with increased DOPA output.