Plasma Osteopontin Levels in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy

• Published in: Archives of otolaryngology--head & neck surgery Vol. 135; no. 8; pp. 807 - 811
• Main Authors: Snitcovsky, Igor, Leitão, Glauber Moreira, Pasini, Fátima Solange, Brunialti, Karen Cristina Sant’Anna, Mangone, Flavia Regina Rotea, Maistro, Simone, de Castro, Gilberto, Villar, Rosangela Correia, Federico, Miriam Hatsue Honda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL American Medical Association 01-08-2009
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - blood; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - blood; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - radiotherapy; Chemotherapy; Chi-Square Distribution; Clinical outcomes; Female; Head & neck cancer; Head and Neck Neoplasms - blood; Head and Neck Neoplasms - drug therapy; Head and Neck Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Humans; Immunoassay; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Osteopontin - blood; Otolaryngology; Otorhinolaryngology (head neck, general aspects and miscellaneous); Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Plasma; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Radiation therapy; Studies; Survival Analysis; Treatment Outcome; Tumors; Human; Osteopontin; ENT disease; Head and neck cancer; Malignant tumor; Chemoradiotherapy; Cancer; Blood plasma
• ISSN: 0886-4470; 2168-6181; 1538-361X; 2168-619X
• DOI: 10.1001/archoto.2009.103

OBJECTIVES To explore the prognostic role of plasma levels of osteopontin (OPN), a phosphoglycoprotein with adhesive properties, in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) undergoing concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Previous studies have proposed OPN level as a prognostic factor in several cancers. DESIGN Prospective analysis of plasma OPN levels, before and within 12 weeks after treatment, in a cohort of patients with HNSCC undergoing platinum-based chemoradiotherapy at our center. SETTING Academic center. PATIENTS Sixty-nine patients diagnosed as having HNSCC. INTERVENTIONS Plasma levels of OPN were assessed before the start and after the conclusion of chemoradiotherapy by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbency assay kit. Chemoradiotherapy was exclusive (n = 52) or adjuvant to surgery (n = 17). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Levels of OPN were correlated with clinicopathological characteristics, response to treatment, and overall survival. RESULTS Pretreatment plasma OPN levels were higher in patients with advanced T and N stages compared with patients with early stages (P = .009 and .07, respectively). Mean (SD) plasma levels of OPN measured before (102.5 [68.1] ng/mL) and after (104.0 [53.6] ng/mL) treatment did not differ (P = .18, paired t test). Pretreatment and posttreatment levels of OPN were lower in patients who achieved a complete response compared with those who failed to respond (75.0 [41.5] vs 131.2 [82.9] ng/mL [P = .005] and 86.8 [40.5] vs 141.6 [58.4] ng/mL [P = .004], respectively). Patients with high pretreatment OPN levels (>82.1 ng/mL) had shorter survival time (P < .001). Posttreatment OPN levels were marginally (P = .10) associated with survival time in univariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS In patients with HNSCC undergoing chemoradiotherapy, a low pretreatment plasma OPN level is associated with treatment response and better survival. Modulation of OPN levels by chemoradiotherapy may also be associated with outcome. Further studies with serial measurement of OPN levels are warranted in these patients.Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2009;135(8):807-811-->