title: Neuroblastoma-derived secretory protein messenger RNA levels correlate with high-risk neuroblastoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In advanced-stage neuroblastoma, bulky disease and systemic dissemination can be controlled with intense surgical and medical therapies; however, recurrence rates are very high in this group indicating that residual disease is rarely eradicated. The need to detect residual disease and predict prognosis is critical to planning appropriate treatment regimens for these patients. Recently, neuroblastoma-derived secretory protein (NDSP) was identified and cloned from neuroblastoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using quantitative real-time PCR, we tested NDSP messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in 45 neuroblastoma tumor samples and 5 bone marrow samples. Correlation between NDSP expression and age at diagnosis, International Neuroblastoma Staging System, MYCN amplification, and Children's Oncology Group risk stratification was analyzed using Spearman nonparametric correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neuroblastoma tissue samples show much higher NDSP mRNA levels above control in 43 of 45 samples (96%); moreover, these levels correlate with the Children's Oncology Group neuroblastoma risk group assignment. We also found that bone marrow samples with known tumor infiltration had much higher NDSP mRNA levels than bone marrow from patients without metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From these data, we conclude that NDSP mRNA levels in neuroblastoma tumor tissue correlate with risk group assignment and may serve as a marker for metastasis in bone marrow.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Sanjeev A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.forename: Heidi V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: M Fatih
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Okcu
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Burlingame
authors.forename: Zhiyun J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jed G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Nuchtern
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000175:diagnosis; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000737:chemistry*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C516780:FAM163A protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger