title: The predictive role of plasma TGF-beta1 during radiation therapy for radiation-induced lung toxicity deserves further study in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to further investigate the role of circulating TGF-beta1 during radiation therapy (RT) in predicting radiation-induced lung toxicity (RILT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with stages I-III non-small cell lung cancer treated with RT based therapy were included in this study. Platelet poor plasma was obtained pre-RT, at 2 and 4 weeks during-RT, and at the end of RT. TGF-beta1 was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The primary endpoint for RILT was >or=grade 2 radiation pneumonitis or fibrosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-six patients with a minimum follow-up of 12 months were included. Six patients (23.1%) experienced >or=grade 2 RILT. There was no significant difference in absolute TGF-beta1 levels pre-RT, at 2 and 4 weeks during-RT, or at the end of RT between patients with and without RILT. The TGF-beta1 ratios (over the pre-RT levels) for patients with and without RILT at 2, 4 weeks during-, and the end of RT were 2.8+/-2.2 and 1.0+/-0.6 (P=0.123), 2.3+/-1.3 and 0.8+/-0.5 (P=0.001), 1.5+/-0.9 and 0.8+/-0.5 (P=0.098), respectively. Using 2.0 as a cut-off, the TGF-beta1 ratio at 4 weeks during-RT predicted RILT with a sensitivity and specificity of 66.7% and 95.0%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevation of plasma TGF-beta1 level 4 weeks during-RT is significantly predictive of RILT. The role of plasma TGF-beta1 in predicting RILT deserves further study.
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors: Lujun
authors: L
authors: Zhao
authors: Kerby
authors: K
authors: Sheldon
authors: Ming
authors: M
authors: Chen
authors: Moli S
authors: MS
authors: Yin
authors: James A
authors: JA
authors: Hayman
authors: Gregory P
authors: GP
authors: Kalemkerian
authors: Doug
authors: D
authors: Arenberg
authors: Susan E
authors: SE
authors: Lyons
authors: Jeffrey L
authors: JL
authors: Curtis
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Davis
authors: Kemp B
authors: KB
authors: Cease
authors: Dean
authors: D
authors: Brenner
authors: Mitchell S
authors: MS
authors: Anscher
authors: Theodore S
authors: TS
authors: Lawrence
authors: Feng Ming
authors: FM
authors: Kong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000097:blood*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1