Urinary neopterin excretion in patients with squamous carcinoma of the oral cavity.

Urinary neopterin concentrations were studied in 30 patients with squamous carcinoma or adenoid cystic carcinoma of the oral cavity. Compared to healthy controls 19 patients (63%) had increased neopterin concentrations. There was a statistically significant correlation between neopterin levels and tumor differentiation but no correlation of neopterin values with tumor size. Longitudinal studies will be necessary to evaluate a potential usefulness of neopterin concentrations to predict prognosis in squamous carcinomas of the oral cavity.