title: Serial measurements of serum PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, FGF2, and VEGF in multiresistant ovarian cancer patients treated with bevacizumab.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anti-VEGF treatment has proven effective in recurrent ovarian cancer. However, the identification of the patients most likely to respond is still pending. It is well known that the angiogenesis is regulated by several other pro-angiogenic proteins, e.g. the platelet - derived growth factor (PDGF) system and the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) system. These other signaling pathways may remain active or become upregulated during anti-VEGF treatment.The aim of the present study was to investigate if potential changes of PDGF-BB, PDGF-AA, and FGF2 before and during bevacizumab treatment had predictive value for early progression or survival. Furthermore, we wanted to investigate the importance of serum VEGF in the same cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 106 patients with chemotherapy-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer who were treated with single agent bevacizumab as part of a biomarker protocol. Patients were evaluated for response by the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) and/ or Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup (GCIG) CA125 criteria. Serum samples were collected at baseline and prior to each treatment. FGF2, PDGF-BB, PDGF-AA were quantified simultaneously using the Luminex system, and VEGF-A was measured by ELISA. Eighty-eight baseline samples were avaliable for FGF2, PDGF-BB, PDGF-AA analysis, and 93 baseline samples for VEGF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High baseline serum VEGF was related to poor overall survival. Furthermore, high serum PDGF-BB and FGF2 was of prognostic significance. None of the markers showed predictive value, neither at baseline level nor during the treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Vejle Hospital, Vejle, Denmark. christine.vestergaard.madsen@slb.regionsyddanmark.dk.
authors.forename: Christine Vestergaard
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: Karina Dahl
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Steffensen
authors.forename: Dorte Aalund
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waldstrøm
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smerdel
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adimi
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brandslund
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jakobsen