title: Plasma biomarkers of clinical response during chemotherapy plus combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV+ patients with advanced Kaposi sarcoma.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate plasma concentration of selected cancer-associated inflammatory and immune-modulated cytokines in HIV+ patients with advanced Kaposi sarcoma (KS), and to explore candidate biomarkers capable of predicting clinical outcome in response to chemotherapy (CT) plus combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).Thirty-seven plasma cytokines/chemokines were assessed by Luminex technology in 27 consecutive HIV+ KS patients, followed-up during CT and cART of maintenance (m-cART). Associations between plasma concentration of biomarkers and patient clinical response to m-cART were evaluated by means of Hazard Ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs).Plasma baseline concentration of Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and endoglin were found to be associated with m-cART clinical response (HR:1.56, 95%CI:1.09-2.22, p = 0.01; HR:0.32, 95% CI:0.10-0.99, p = 0.05; HR:0.72, 95% CI:0.54-0.96, p = 0.03, respectively). The multivariate analysis confirmed the associations of baseline plasma G-CSF and HGF concentration with m-cART clinical complete remission response (HR:1.78, 95% CI:1.15-2.74, p = 0.009; HR:0.19, 95% CI:0.04-0.95, p = 0.04). Our exploratory study suggested that plasma G-CSF, HGF and endoglin may be novel predictors of clinical response during m-cART in HIV+ KS patients. Nonetheless, these findings should be further validated in an independent population study.
authors: Microbiology-Immunology and Virology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy.
authors: Rosamaria
authors: R
authors: Tedeschi
authors: Epidemiology and Biostatistic Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy.
authors: Ettore
authors: E
authors: Bidoli
authors: Microbiology-Immunology and Virology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy.
authors: Maria Teresa
authors: MT
authors: Bortolin
authors: Medical Oncology A, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy.
authors: Ornella
authors: O
authors: Schioppa
authors: Medical Oncology A, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy.
authors: Emanuela
authors: E
authors: Vaccher
authors: Scientific Directorate, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: De Paoli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D000071063:Endoglin; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000097:blood; D012074:Remission Induction; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; C064206:ENG protein, human; D000071063:Endoglin; C066855:HGF protein, human; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor
keywords: G-CSF; HGF; Kaposi sarcoma (KS); combination antiretroviral therapy (cART); endoglin