title: Prospective evaluation of plasma levels of ANGPT2, TuM2PK, and VEGF in patients with renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess pathological correlations and temporal trends of Angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and M2 Pyruvate kinase (TuM2PK), markers of tumor vascular development and metabolism, in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively collected plasma samples from 89 patients who underwent surgical/ablative therapy for RCC and 38 patients with benign disease (nephrolithiasis, hematuria without apparent neoplastic origin, or renal cysts). In RCC patients, marker levels were compared between at least 1 preoperative and 1 postoperative time point generally 3 weeks after surgery. Marker temporal trends were assessed using the Wilcoxon sign-rank test. Plasma VEGF, ANGPT2, and TuM2PK levels were determined by ELISA and tested for association with pathological variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age was comparable between groups. 83/89 (93%) of the cohort underwent surgical extirpation. 82% of the tumors were organ confined (T ≤ 2, N0). Only ANGPT2 exhibited significantly elevated preoperative levels in patients with RCC compared to benign disease (p = 0.046). Elevated preoperative levels of ANGPT2 and TuM2PK significantly correlated with increased tumor size and advanced grade (p < 0.05). Chromophobe RCC exhibited higher levels of ANGPT2 compared to other histologies (p < 0.05). A decline in marker level after surgery was not observed, likely due to the timing of the analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that ANGPT2 is a marker of RCC. Additionally, ANGPT2 and TuM2PK significantly correlated with several adverse pathological features. Further studies are needed to determine clinical applicability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. bishoyg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bishoy A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Gayed
authors.affiliation: Department Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. jmgillen@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gillen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. Alana.Christie@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Alana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christie
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. Samuel.PenaLlopis@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peña-Llopis
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. Xian-Jin.Xie@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Xian-Jin
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. Jingsheng.Yan@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Jingsheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA. jakaram@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. Ganesh.Raj@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Ganesh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. Arthur.Sagalowsky@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Arthur I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Sagalowsky
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. Yair.lotan@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Yair
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lotan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. Vitaly.Margulis@utsouthwestern.edu.|Department of Urology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, 75390-9110, Texas, USA. Vitaly.Margulis@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Vitaly
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Margulis
authors.affiliation: Department Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. James.Brugarolas@utsouthwestern.edu.|Department of Developmental Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. James.Brugarolas@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brugarolas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011770:Pyruvate Kinase / Q000097:blood*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C586513:ANGPT2 protein, human; D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D011770:Pyruvate Kinase