Serum levels of S-100B protein and neuron-specific enolase in glioma patients: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Serum levels of S-100B protein (S-100B) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) are elevated after various cerebral injuries and are considered markers of central nervous system damage. In brain tumor patients, literature data on the prognostic value of serum S-100(B) and NSE levels are scarse and conflicting.


METHODS
We assessed serum S-100B and NSE levels in 20 consecutive cerebral glioma patients, and evaluated serum levels in relation to survival to determine their prognostic value. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed for patients with "high" (> median value) versus "low" (< or = median value) serum S-100B and NSE levels.


RESULTS
A statistically significant shorter survival was found in patients with high serum S-100B levels, whereas a similar classification of patients based on serum NSE levels demonstrated no statistically significant difference in survival between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary data suggest that serum S-100B might be a prognostic variable in cerebral glioma patients. Further study is warranted to evaluate whether serum S-100B is an additional, independent prognostic variable.
Department of Neurology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. MJ.Vos@vumc.nl
Maaike J
MJ
Vos
Tjeerd J
TJ
Postma
Frans
F
Martens
Bernard M J
BM
Uitdehaag
Marines A
MA
Blankenstein
W Peter
WP
Vandertop
Ben J
BJ
Slotman
Jan J
JJ
Heimans
D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000097:blood*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood*
D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase