Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in children with neural crest tumours

The concentration of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in plasma was measured in 22 children with neural crest tumours (NCT) during a 5-year period; the mean concentration of VIP in plasma was 22.5 pmol/l (interval 2.0-95.0 pmol/l). To establish a reference interval the plasma concentration of VIP was measured in 41 children without tumours; the mean concentration of VIP in plasma was 6.2 pmol/l (interval 0.5-19.0 pmol/l). Of the 22 children with NCT 16 had a plasma concentration of VIP within the normal range while 6 children (27%) had elevated plasma concentration of VIP between 28 and 95 pmol/l. Only one child, whose plasma concentration of VIP was 95 pmol/l had diarrhoea. Elevated plasma concentration of VIP in children with NCT but no diarrhoea has not previously been described. The urinary excretion of vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) was increased in 18 of the children with NCT (82%). In 2 of the children with normal excretion of VMA the concentration of VIP in plasma was elevated. Thus, the plasma concentration of VIP may be a supplement to VMA as a tumour marker in some cases of NCT.