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Published on: August 19, 2025
Serum PDGF-AB in pleural mesothelioma
Rosa Filiberti1, Paola Marroni, Monica Neri
1Division of Environmental Epidemiology, National Cancer Research Institute, Genova, Italy. rosangela.filiberti@istge.it
Summary
Serum platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is elevated in malignant pleural mesothelioma (PM) patients. Higher PDGF-AB levels correlate with reduced survival, suggesting its potential as a prognostic marker for PM.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biomarkers
- Thoracic Surgery
Background:
- Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) overexpression is linked to lung and pleural tumors.
- Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is a serious asbestos-related malignancy.
- Identifying reliable diagnostic and prognostic markers for PM is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the diagnostic utility of serum PDGF in pleural mesothelioma.
- To evaluate the prognostic significance of serum PDGF levels in PM patients.
- To assess the relationship between serum PDGF and patient survival.
Main Methods:
- Serum PDGF-AB concentrations were measured in 93 PM patients, 33 non-small cell lung cancer patients, 51 asbestos-exposed controls, and 24 healthy controls.
- Statistical analysis compared PDGF-AB levels across groups and correlated them with survival outcomes.
- A cut-off level was established based on healthy controls to identify positive PDGF-AB levels.
Main Results:
- Mean serum PDGF-AB was significantly higher in PM patients (45.8 ng/ml) compared to high-risk (33.1 ng/ml) and healthy controls (26.8 ng/ml).
- 43% of PM patients exhibited elevated PDGF-AB levels above the defined cut-off.
- Patients with higher PDGF-AB levels showed a trend towards shorter median survival (7.9 months) versus those with lower levels (13.1 months).
Conclusions:
- Serum PDGF-AB levels are elevated in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
- Elevated serum PDGF-AB may be associated with poorer prognosis in PM patients.
- Serum PDGF could serve as a valuable supplementary prognostic biomarker for pleural mesothelioma.
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