title: Plasma Flt-3 ligand concentration correlated with radiation-induced bone marrow damage during local fractionated radiotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether variations in the plasma Flt-3 ligand (FL) concentration after radiotherapy (RT) may serve as a biomarker for radiation-induced bone marrow damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients were followed during RT. The irradiated bone marrow volume was determined. The blood cell counts and plasma FL concentrations were evaluated before and after RT. The expression of membrane-bound FL and mRNA expression were also defined in circulating blood cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a negative correlation between the plasma FL concentration and the number of circulating white blood cells and platelets during RT. Moreover, the overall amount of FL in the blood of patients during RT correlated directly with both the cumulated radiation dose and the proportion of irradiated bone marrow.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated that the variations in plasma FL concentration directly reflect the radiation-induced bone marrow damage during fractionated local RT. We suggest a possible use for FL monitoring as a means to predict the occurrence of Grade 3-4 leukopenia or thrombocytopenia during the course of RT.
authors.affiliation: Service de Radiothérapie, Hôpital Européen G. Pompidou, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Aymeri
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huchet
authors.forename: Yazid
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Belkacémi
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prat
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Muresan-Kloos
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Altan
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chapel
authors.forename: Norbert Claude
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Gorin
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gourmelon
authors.forename: Jean Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bertho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C084881:flt3 ligand protein