Serum midkine correlates with tumor progression and imatinib response in gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
BACKGROUND
A previous study identified midkine (MK) expression in primary gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) as a prognostic marker. The aim of the current study was to compare serum midkine (S-MK) concentrations of GIST patients with those of healthy controls and to determine if MK can serve as a prognostic serum marker for these patients.


METHODS
S-MK concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in GIST patients (n = 96) and healthy controls (n = 148). S-MK levels were then correlated with clinicopathological data and the administration of imatinib therapy. In addition, MK expression was evaluated in 39 surgically resected GIST and in 17 leiomyoma specimens on a tissue microarray.


RESULTS
S-MK concentrations in GIST patients were significantly higher than in healthy controls: median (25th and 75th percentiles) S-MK concentration was 235 (139 and 376) pg/ml in the GIST patients and 99 (33 and 198) pg/ml in the controls (P < 0.001; Mann-Whitney U test). Significantly higher median S-MK concentrations were found in GIST with recurrence compared with those without (295 vs 230; P = 0.009). GIST patients with S-MK levels higher than 400 pg/ml showed a significantly worse recurrence-free survival (P = 0.026; log-rank test). Patients receiving imatinib therapy had decreased median S-MK concentrations compared with those who were not treated with imatinib (331 vs 201; P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
S-MK concentration is a potential marker for evaluating the progression and prognosis of GIST, especially during imatinib therapy. Further studies could focus on the role of midkine in the tumorigenesis of GIST and responsiveness toward imatinib therapy.
Rawnaq
Tamina
T
Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. trawnaq@uke.de
Kunkel
Miriam
M
Bachmann
Kai
K
Simon
Ronald
R
Zander
Hilke
H
Brandl
Stephan
S
Sauter
Guido
G
Izbicki
Jakob R
JR
Kaifi
Jussuf T
JT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000078792:Midkine; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015996:Survival Rate; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C066254:MDK protein, human; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000078792:Midkine; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate