title: Serum vascular endothelial growth factor-a levels during induction therapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during the induction phase of chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective sudy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Setting: Hospital-based study over 18 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  30 children with ALL and 17 healthy age- and sex-matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum concentration of VEGF-A-165 isoform (s-VEGF) was measured by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay at diagnosis and at the end of induction chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  s-VEGF was compared with markers of tumor burden. Kinetics of s-VEGF was assessed in response to induction chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median VEGF was significantly lower in untreated patients than in controls (17.0 vs. 42.6 pg/mL, P=0.004). s-VEGF levels were fairly correlated with WBC count (r=-0.56, P=0.004) and LDH (r=-0.52, P=0.02) at diagnosis. All patients but one were in morphologic remission at the end of induction. Median s-VEGF concentration on day 29/33 was significantly higher than on day 1 (44.2 pg/mL, P=0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Untreated children with ALL have significantly lower s-VEGF concentration than controls. At the end of the induction therapy, s-VEGF increased to levels similar to controls. The role of ligand-receptor interaction between VEGF and VEGF receptors on leukemia cells needs to be further delineated.To identify the risk factors for scholastic backwardness in children.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hematology Oncology and BMT, Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Child Health, India.
authors.forename: Manas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dinand
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choudhary
authors.forename: Anupam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sachdeva
authors.forename: Satya Prakash
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yadav
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D060828:Induction Chemotherapy; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A