Plasma transforming growth factor-beta 1 reflects disease status in patients with lung cancer after radiotherapy: a possible tumor marker.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency with which elevated plasma transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1) concentrations occur in lung cancer patients, to determine the kinetics of TGF beta 1 expression during and after radiotherapy and to correlate plasma TGF beta 1 levels with disease status after treatment.


METHODS
Plasma samples were obtained before, during and after radiotherapy in 54 patients with lung cancer and 20 normal controls. Plasma TGF beta 1 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Baseline TGF beta 1 levels in lung cancer patients and normal controls were 13.0 +/- 2.5 and 4.4 +/- 0.3 ng/ml, respectively. Elevated TGF beta 1 were found in 50% (27/54) of lung cancer patients. During radiation therapy plasma TGF beta 1 levels declined, however, by the completion of treatment the mean TGF beta 1 level had not normalized in patients with lung cancer. The TGF beta 1 level at last follow-up correlated with disease status in those patients with an increased pretreatment plasma level. Three of four patients with no evidence of cancer had normal follow-up TGF beta 1 levels, compared to 2/16 patients with residual or recurrent tumor (P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated plasma TGF beta 1 levels occur frequently in patients with lung cancer. In those patients with an elevated plasma TGF beta 1 level at diagnosis, monitoring this level may be useful in detecting both disease persistence and recurrence after therapy.
Kong
F M
FM
Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham 27710, USA.
Washington
M K
MK
Jirtle
R L
RL
Anscher
M S
MS
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta