title: Changes in circulating pro-angiogenic cytokines, other than VEGF, before progression to sunitinib therapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study included a cohort of advanced renal cell carcinoma patients treated with sunitinib. Since resistance to sunitinib may be mediated through angiogenic cytokines other than VEGF, we measured the circulating levels of three pro-angiogenic cytokines: basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and interleukin (IL)-6.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytokines were measured at baseline and on the first day of each treatment cycle until progression in 85 advanced kidney cancer patients treated with sunitinib using a quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Even though no statistically significant differences in the titers of the three cytokines were observed between baseline and the time of progression in the whole patient cohort, in 45.3, 46.6, and 37.3% of the patients a more than 50% increase between baseline and the time of progression was shown in circulating IL-6, bFGF, and HGF, respectively. Furthermore, this increase was more than 100% in 37.3, 44, and 30.6% of the patients, respectively. We also demonstrated that, in these patients, cytokines tended to increase and to remain high immediately before progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a large percentage of kidney cancer patients, progression is preceded by a significant increase in pro-angiogenic cytokines other than VEGF.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, I.R.C.C.S. San Matteo University Hospital Foundation, Pavia, Italy. c.porta@smatteo.pv.it
authors.forename: Camillo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paglino
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Imarisio
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ganini
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sacchi
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quaglini
authors.forename: Vania
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giunta
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Amici
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011379:Prognosis; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077210:Sunitinib; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007211:Indoles; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011758:Pyrroles; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D000077210:Sunitinib