Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology Advance Access originally published online on July 8, 2005
Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology 2005 35(8):427-432; doi:10.1093/jjco/hyi126
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© 2005 Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research
Change of Plasma Transforming Growth Factor-ß1 Levels in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients Treated with Concurrent Chemo-radiotherapy
1 Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University and Mackay Junior College of Nursing, 2 Department of Radiation Oncology & Hospice Center, 4 Department of Medical Oncology and 5 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, 3 Department of Mathematics, Tamkang University, Tamsui, 6 Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan and 7 Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
For reprints and all correspondence: Jeng-Jong Hwang, PhD, Department of Medical Radiation Technology & Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. E-mail: jjhwang{at}ym.edu.tw
Received February 20, 2005; accepted May 29, 2005
Objective: Our aim was to study the correlation between plasma transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 level and radiation-induced mucositis and dermatitis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients.
Methods: Blood samples obtained from patients treated with concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT) were divided into two groups according to the pre-treatment plasma TGF-ß1 level (
7.5 ng/ml as group 1 and <7.5 ng/ml as group 2). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the measurement of the TGF-ß1 level. Radiation toxicity was evaluated according to Radiation Treatment Oncology Group criteria. Data were analyzed by the generalized estimation equation method.
Results: TGF-ß1 levels of group 1 patients were decreased significantly (P = 0.002) at the end of the treatment. The rate of decrease was 0.12 ng/ml per fraction (P = 0.02). The average TGF-ß1 level in patients who suffered acute radiation morbidity (grade
2) was significantly higher (P = 0.0057) than that of those who suffered less (grade <2).
Conclusion: A lower pre-treatment plasma TGF-ß1 level and the grade of radiation toxicity both appeared to contribute to the elevated plasma TGF-ß1 after CCRT.
Key Words: transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) nasopharyngeal carcinoma concurrent chemo-radiotherapy