VEGF-121 plasma level as biomarker for response to anti-angiogenetic therapy in recurrent glioblastoma.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) isoforms, particularly the diffusible VEGF-121, could play a major role in the response of recurrent glioblastoma (GB) to anti-angiogenetic treatment with bevacizumab. We hypothesized that circulating VEGF-121 may reduce the amount of bevacizumab available to target the heavier isoforms of VEGF, which are the most clinically relevant. METHODS:We assessed the plasma level of VEGF-121 in a brain xenograft model, in human healthy controls, and in patients suffering from recurrent GB before and after bevacizumab treatment. Data were matched with patients' clinical outcome. RESULTS:In athymic rats with U87MG brain xenografts, the level of plasma VEGF-121 relates with tumor volume and it significantly decreases after iv infusion of bevacizumab. Patients with recurrent GB show higher plasma VEGF-121 than healthy controls (p?=?0.0002) and treatment with bevacizumab remarkably reduced the expression of VEGF-121 in plasma of these patients (p?=?0.0002). Higher plasma level of VEGF-121 was significantly associated to worse PFS and OS (p?=?0.0295 and p?=?0.0246, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:Quantitative analysis of VEGF-121 isoform in the plasma of patients with recurrent GB could be a promising predictor of response to anti-angiogenetic treatment.

SUBMITTER: Martini M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5946426 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature