Clinical significance of serum vascular endothelial growth factor, endostatin, and leptin levels in children with lymphoma.
BACKGROUND
A number of clinical studies conducted in adults have demonstrated the prognostic significance of angiogenic factors in malignancies, however, only a limited number of studies have been conducted in children. The aim of this study was to determine serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), endostatin, and leptin levels in children with lymphoma and to investigate whether these factors provide prognostic information.


METHODS
Serum samples from 36 children with lymphoma (non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) N = 21, Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) N = 15) were collected at diagnosis and during remission. Serum samples were also collected from 18 healthy children as the control group. Serum VEGF and endostatin levels were quantified by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serum leptin by immunoradiometric assay.


RESULTS
The serum VEGF levels were found elevated in patients compared to controls (P = 0.033), while endostatin and leptin levels were lower in patients than in controls (endostatin, 43.9 ± 5.8 ng/ml vs. 123.6 ± 13.5 ng/ml, P < 0.001; leptin, 5 ± 1.5 ng/ml vs. 6.7 ± 1.2 ng/ml, P = 0.013). VEGF levels declined (pre, 151.6 ± 55.9 pg/ml vs. post, 16.2 ± 7.9 pg/ml, P = 0.041), while endostatin and leptin levels increased in patients who achieved remission (33 of 36 patients) when compared to pre-treatment levels (endostatin pre, 43.1 ± 5.9 ng/ml vs. post, 65.9 ± 6.8 ng/ml, P = 0.047; leptin, pre, 5.3 ± 1.6 ng/ml vs. post, 9.8 ± 2.7 ng/ml, P = 0.012). Serum VEGF, endostatin, and leptin levels were not predictive of survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Serial measurement of serum VEGF, endostatin, and leptin levels could potentially be used to predict response to treatment or progressive disease in children with lymphoma.
Okur
Fatma Visal
FV
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. fvokur@txccc.org
Karadeniz
Ceyda
C
Buyukpamukcu
Munevver
M
Oguz
Aynur
A
Yucel
Aysegul
A
Cinaz
Peyami
P
Emir
Suna
S
Varan
Ali
A
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D043169:Endostatins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D043169:Endostatins; D020738:Leptin; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A