URINARY EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR IN PATIENTS WITH GLIOMAS - SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FACTOR AS A GLIAL TUMOR-MARKER

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) content in urine from patients with glia l tumors was examined by radioimmunoassay techniques with labeled huma n EGF and its rabbit EGF polyclonal antibody. There was no cross-react ion with transforming growth factor-alpha, which has a common receptor with EGF. Forty glial tumors were divided into three groups according to the clinical stage: Samples from Group A patients were obtained be fore therapy and/or after biopsy, in these patients a large volume of tumor was apparent on computerized tomography (CT). Group B samples we re obtained after gross total removal of the tumor and/or chemo- and r adiation therapy; these patients showed a small volume of residual tum or on CT. Samples from Group C patients were obtained after gross tumo r total removal and/or chemo- and radiation therapy; no tumor was dete cted on CT scans in these patients. Urinary EGF levels in Group A samp les were statistically significantly higher than in samples from healt hy individuals (p < 0.001), Group B patients (p < 0.10), and Group C p atients (p < 0.02). In addition, high-grade glial tumors in Group A ca ses showed a significantly higher level of urinary EGF than low-grade tumors in Group A patients (p < 0.05), or patients with meningioma (p < 0.02), metastatic brain tumor (p < 0.05), and cerebral infarction (p < 0.001). Longitudinal changes of urinary EGF levels in glioma patien ts mostly synchronized with the clinical course and therapeutic interv entions. Therefore, urinary EGF, as a glial tumor marker, may be of pr actical value for diagnosing a malignant glioma and evaluating for the efficacy of chemo- and radiation therapy.