title: Post-treatment plasma transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) level predicts for late morbidity in patients with advanced head and neck cancer.
abstract: Between 2001 and 2002, 29 patients with advanced inoperable squamous head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy with or without simultaneous chemotherapy were evaluated for their plasma TGF-beta1 levels prior to the treatment, in the middle of the radiotherapy course and at the end of the treatment. Patients were assessed for treatment response and late morbidity. Predictive value of TGF-beta1 level on either of the assessed parameters was tested. From 29 eligible patients (pts), 18 achieved complete response, 8 partial response and three pts progressed primarily. After a median follow-up of 16 months we recorded 16 cases of grade >1 late morbidity. We found that post-treatment elevated plasma TGF-beta1 level predicts late morbidity grade >1 (p=0.05) rather than pre-treatment level (p=0.062). Neither pre-treatment nor post-treatment plasma TGF-beta1 level has a predictive value to the treatment response (CR vs. no CR, p=0.125 and 0.252, respectively). The post-treatment plasma TGF-beta 1 level can predict late morbidity grade >1 in advanced head and neck cancer treated with radio(chemo)therapy. This could make a basis for dose escalation in selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University Prague, University Hospital Královské Vinohrady, 100 34 Prague 10, Czech Republic. feltl@fnkv.cz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feltl
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Závadová
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pála
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hozák
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011878:Radiotherapy; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1