Quantification of plasma and bone marrow VEGF and angiopoietin-2 levels in pediatric malignancies.
BACKGROUND
Data on angiogenesis in pediatric patients with malignancy are scarce. Our aim was to study angiogenic growth factors vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) in pediatric oncological patients at diagnosis and a few months after the beginning of the therapy.


METHODS
Eighty-four consecutive patients with malignancy were included in this study. The levels of plasma and bone marrow VEGF and Ang2 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
The levels of VEGF were higher in patients with solid tumors than in patients with leukemias (P=0.003), whereas Ang2 concentrations showed the opposite (P=0.003). Interestingly, the plasma concentrations of both VEGF and Ang2 correlated with concentrations in the bone marrow (P<0.05). Leukemia patients with lower VEGF level and patients with higher Ang2 level at follow-up had longer event-free survival than other patients (P=0.032 and 0.053, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study enlighten the behavior of 2 different angiogenic factors in pediatric patients with malignancy. An interesting finding was the connection between survival of pediatric leukemia patients and angiogenic factor levels a few months after the beginning of therapy. Pathophysiology and clinical applications of these findings need further studies.
Division of Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Emilia
E
Hintsala
Petri
P
Bono
Sture
S
Andersson
Sanna-Maria
SM
Kivivuori
D000293:Adolescent; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000737:chemistry*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007938:Leukemia / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D002097:C-Reactive Protein