title: Plasma osteopontin levels in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the prognostic role of plasma levels of osteopontin (OPN), a phosphoglycoprotein with adhesive properties, in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) undergoing concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Previous studies have proposed OPN level as a prognostic factor in several cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective analysis of plasma OPN levels, before and within 12 weeks after treatment, in a cohort of patients with HNSCC undergoing platinum-based chemoradiotherapy at our center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine patients diagnosed as having HNSCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma levels of OPN were assessed before the start and after the conclusion of chemoradiotherapy by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbency assay kit. Chemoradiotherapy was exclusive (n = 52) or adjuvant to surgery (n = 17).
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of OPN were correlated with clinicopathological characteristics, response to treatment, and overall survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pretreatment plasma OPN levels were higher in patients with advanced T and N stages compared with patients with early stages (P = .009 and .07, respectively). Mean (SD) plasma levels of OPN measured before (102.5 [68.1] ng/mL) and after (104.0 [53.6] ng/mL) treatment did not differ (P = .18, paired t test). Pretreatment and posttreatment levels of OPN were lower in patients who achieved a complete response compared with those who failed to respond (75.0 [41.5] vs 131.2 [82.9] ng/mL [P = .005] and 86.8 [40.5] vs 141.6 [58.4] ng/mL [P = .004], respectively). Patients with high pretreatment OPN levels (>82.1 ng/mL) had shorter survival time (P < .001). Posttreatment OPN levels were marginally (P = .10) associated with survival time in univariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with HNSCC undergoing chemoradiotherapy, a low pretreatment plasma OPN level is associated with treatment response and better survival. Modulation of OPN levels by chemoradiotherapy may also be associated with outcome. Further studies with serial measurement of OPN levels are warranted in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Radiologia e Cancerologia, Disciplina de Oncologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Snitcovsky
authors.forename: Glauber Moreira
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Leitão
authors.forename: Fátima Solange
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Pasini
authors.forename: Karen Cristina Sant'Anna
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Brunialti
authors.forename: Flavia Regina Rotea
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Mangone
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maistro
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Rosangela Correia
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Villar
authors.forename: Miriam Hatsue Honda
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Federico
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053495:Osteopontin