Urinary neopterine excretion in patient with genital cancer

Urinary neopterine values in 96 healthy women were compared with those in a group of 63 patients with cancer of the genitals who had not yet undergone treatment. Significantly higher median neopterine levels were found in the patients with carcinoma (p less than 0.001). In the 63 cancer patients who had not yet been treated, the diagnosis was made correctly in 65% of the cases by monitoring neopterine levels. In the follow-up of 72 patients with cancer of the genitals in 74% the neopterine values corresponded with the clinico-roentgenological findings. In 22%, false positive neopterine values (no recurrence of the tumor), and in 4% false negative values (recurrence, or progression of the carcinoma) were observed. These results confirm previous reports concerning the significance of pteridine excretion in patients with cancer. However, more investigations have to be performed to establish the value of neopterine sampling in monitoring patients with malignant tumors.