Serum levels of angiogenic cytokines decrease after radiotherapy in non-Hodgkin lymphomas
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Published on: March 7, 2025
Roberto Ria1, Teresa Cirulli, Teresa Giannini
1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Section of Internal Medicine, University of Bari Medical School, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, Bari, Italy. ria@dimo.uniba.it
Purpose:
Serum levels of angiogenic cytokines decrease after radiotherapy in patients with cancer, and this may be relevant for treatment response and progression-free survival. Herein, we set out to determine whether circulating fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and platelet-derived growth factor-beta (PDGF-beta) decrease after radiotherapy in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) and if so, whether their decrease correlates with age, tumour histotype and stage, and radiation dose.
Material And Methods:
The serum levels of FGF-2, VEGF, HGF and PDGF-beta were evaluated before and after radiotherapy by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These levels were correlated both reciprocally and with age, histotype, stage and radiation dose.
Results:
After radiotherapy, FGF-2, VEGF and PDGF-beta, but not HGF, significantly decreased in relation to the radiation dose and response. No correlation was established between cytokine levels, except for VEGF and PDGF-beta, which decreased in parallel. Haemoglobin levels did not decrease after radiotherapy, while FGF-2, VEGF, HGF and PDGF-beta levels did not correlate with age, NHL stage and histotype.
Conclusions:
Soluble FGF-2, VEGF and PDGF-beta levels decline after radiotherapy in NHLs, and may have predictive significance for response to treatment and recurrence.
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