title: Leptin and neuropeptide Y plasma levels in children with cancer.
abstract: This study investigated leptin and neuropeptide Y levels in children with cancer, the relationship of those levels to cachexia, and their usefulness as prognostic indicators. Twenty-three newly diagnosed children with cancer were included in the study. The median age at diagnosis was 8 years (range 1.5-14), and the male to female ratio was 13:10. Body mass index, serum leptin and neuropeptide Y levels were measured at diagnosis and at each cycle of chemotherapy. The mean neuropeptide Y level was 211.1 pmol/l at diagnosis and decreased to 92.8 pmol/l at the fifth cycle of chemotherapy. In contrast, the mean leptin level was 3.9 ng/ml at diagnosis and increased to 13.0 ng/ml at the fifth cycle of chemotherapy. Thus, levels of these factors are influenced by treatment status and disease progression. The mean neuropeptide Y level at diagnosis was 82.32 pmol/l in children with complete remission and 430.16 pmol/l in those who died with disease during the follow-up period. The mean leptin level at diagnosis was 6.60 ng/ml in children with complete remission and 0.192 ng/ml in patients who died with disease during the follow-up period. The neuropeptide Y and leptin levels seem to be related to prognosis and could be used as prognostic indicators in the follow-up of children with cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, Institute of Oncology Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kudret
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cağlar
authors.forename: Tezer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kutluk
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varan
authors.forename: Zehra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Koray
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akyüz
authors.forename: Bilgehan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yalçin
authors.forename: Belkis
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erbaş
authors.forename: Münevver
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Büyükpamukçu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000855:Anorexia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D015415:Biomarkers; D002100:Cachexia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020738:Leptin; D009478:Neuropeptide Y