title: Shed tumor gangliosides and progression of human neuroblastoma.
abstract: Shedding of membrane gangliosides is characteristic of human and experimental tumors. Because some shed tumor gangliosides have potent tumor-enhancing properties, significant ganglioside shedding could influence tumor progression. We examined this possibility in a human tumor, neuroblastoma. Ganglioside shedding, measured as circulating tumor-derived GD2 ganglioside, and the outcome of 74 patients with advanced stage (III and IV) disease were studied. Progression-free survival (PFS) was inversely related to circulating GD2 levels at the time of diagnosis (P = .018). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, the quartile of patients having the highest circulating GD2 levels (greater than or equal to 568 pmol/mL) had a strikingly different outcome from the quartile of patients with the lowest (less than or equal to 103 pmol/mL) GD2 levels (P = .013): median PFS was shorter (9 v 28 months), and the long-term survival rate lower (2-year PFS of 24% v 70%). We conclude that more rapid disease progression and lower survival rate are associated with high circulating GD2 levels at diagnosis and speculate that shed neuroblastoma tumor gangliosides play a role in accelerating tumor progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, UCLA School of Medicine 90024-1752.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valentino
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elashoff
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ladisch
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005732:Gangliosides