%0 Journal Article %A ERIK G. SKÖLDENBERG %A ANDERS LARSSON %A ÅKE JAKOBSON %A FREDRIK HEDBORG %A PER KOGNER %A ROLF H. CHRISTOFFERSON %A FARANAK AZARBAYJANI %T The Angiogenic Growth Factors HGF and VEGF in Serum and Plasma from Neuroblastoma Patients %D 2009 %J Anticancer Research %P 3311-3319 %V 29 %N 8 %X Aim: To determine whether concentrations of the angiogenic growth factors hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) correlate with clinical and genetic markers in samples taken at diagnosis in children with neuroblastoma (NB). Patients and Methods: Heparin plasma (P-) and serum (S-) samples of healthy controls (n=73, mean age ± SD 3.5±2.1; females/males: 23/50) and patients with NB (n=62; 2.2±1.8; 26/36) were collected between 1988 and 1999. Clinical data included age at diagnosis, gender, stage, outcome, amplification of the oncogene MYCN, loss of heterozygosity at the short arm of chromosome 1 (1p LOH) and ploidy. Results: HGF and S-VEGF-A were elevated in NB as compared to controls (38/62 patients, p<0.0001 and p<0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). HGF concentrations were higher in high-stage (stage 3-4) as compared to low-stage (stage 1-2) disease (p<0.01). P-HGF was elevated in patients with 1p LOH (p<0.01), MYCN amplification (p<0.001) and di- or tetraploidy (p<0.001). S-HGF concentration was elevated in patients MYCN-amplified tumors only. Plasma and S-HGF concentrations were higher in the deceased group (p<0.05), but not P or S-VEGF-A. Conclusion: This study showed that concentrations of HGF and S-VEGF-A are elevated in patients with NB. Furthermore, HGF and S-VEGF-A concentrations correlate to higher stage disease and HGF correlates to genetic markers known to indicate a poor outcome. These observations imply that HGF and VEGF-A have biological roles in NB and suggest the possibility of interference with HGF or VEGF-A signaling as a therapeutic strategy. %U https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/anticanres/29/8/3311.full.pdf