title: Serum beta 2-microglobulin and prognosis of patients with renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: Beta 2-Microglobulin (beta 2-M) was analysed in serum of 145 patients with renal cell carcinoma, and serum creatinine < 125 mumol/1 by a radioimmunometric method. Forty-nine (34%) patients had serum beta 2-M level > or = 3.0 mg/l. Of the patients with distal metastases 46% had elevated levels, compared with 19% with stage I disease. Serum beta 2-M correlated with histopathologic grade; 58% of the patients with poorly differentiated (grade 4) tumours had elevated levels compared with 18% in grade 1-2 tumours. Also tumour cell type was associated with serum beta 2-M; 52% of the patients with plasmic tumours had elevated levels compared with 6% in the clear cell type. In a univariate prognostic analysis elevated serum beta 2-M level was inversely correlated with survival time. Using a multivariate analysis the strong prognostic factors were clinical stage and tumour diameter. Weaker factors were age and cell type, whereas the prognostic value of serum beta 2-M disappeared. However, if tumour cell type was excluded from the analysis, serum beta 2-M was identified as a prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Umeå University, Sweden.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rasmuson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grankvist
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ljungberg
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D018262:Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D003404:Creatinine