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  • Title: Early increase in serum levels of the angiogenesis-inhibitor endostatin and of basic fibroblast growth factor in melanoma patients during disease progression.
    Author: Kurschat P, Eming S, Nashan D, Krieg T, Mauch C.
    Journal: Br J Dermatol; 2007 Apr; 156(4):653-8. PubMed ID: 17263813.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Increased serum levels of angiogenesis-related factors such as endostatin, vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) or basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) have been demonstrated for a variety of solid and nonsolid tumours. Therefore, these factors have been suggested as diagnostic and in some studies as prognostic tumour markers. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to investigate a possible correlation of endostatin, VEGF or bFGF serum levels with disease progression in melanoma. Especially, we compared these factors to the established melanoma marker S-100 B, which increases in advanced disease but often fails to indicate early metastatic spread to regional lymph nodes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sera from 197 melanoma patients and 35 healthy controls were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; 72 patients had primary tumours (American Joint Committee on Cancer stages I and II), 55 had regional lymph node metastasis (stage III) and 70 patients had distant organ metastasis (stage IV). RESULTS: Endostatin, VEGF and bFGF serum levels were significantly elevated in stage IV disease, compared with the control group. In stage III, endostatin and bFGF, but not VEGF or S-100 B, were significantly increased. However, follow-up of this patient group did not show a correlation with the future clinical course including time until progression or overall survival, arguing against a role of endostatin, VEGF or bFGF as prognostic markers. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that endostatin or bFGF might be useful as diagnostic markers for the early detection of locoregional metastasis.
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