CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE OF CIRCULATING CD44 IN NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA

Citation
R. Ristamaki et al., CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE OF CIRCULATING CD44 IN NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA, International journal of cancer, 79(3), 1998, pp. 221-225
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Oncology
ISSN journal
00207136
Volume
79
Issue
3
Year of publication
1998
Pages
221 - 225
Database
ISI
SICI code
0020-7136(1998)79:3<221:COCCIN>2.0.ZU;2-0
Abstract
Soluble isoforms of various adhesion molecules have recently been obse rved in the blood circulation, but the physiological effects of such m olecules remain unsettled. Our earlier results indicate that soluble C D44 can be detected in sera of healthy individuals and that significan tly higher levels of serum CD44 (s-CD44) can be found in lymphoma pati ents. The serum level of the standard form of CD44 parallels the clini cal treatment response in patients with lymphoma. In the present study , we have investigated the clinical significance of s-CD44 in non-Hodg kin's lymphoma measured at the time of the diagnosis. S-CD44 was measu red from the sera of 123 patients with non Hodgkin's lymphoma by dot b lotting High levels of s-CD44 were associated with high serum levels o f lactate dehydrogenase and thymidine kinase, high histological grade of malignancy and poor overall survival. However, s-CD44 level did not have independent prognostic value in a multivariate analysis. In conc lusion, a high s-CD44 level at the time of diagnosis was associated wi th poor survival and several other adverse prognostic factors. Our pre vious and present studies taken together suggest that measurement of s -CD44 is a valuable tool to monitor treatment response in lymphoma pat ients. However, it may not be an improved prognostic marker. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.