Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and plasma thrombomodulin levels in glioblastoma patients

Cellular adhesion molecules have been implicated in tumor progression and m etastasis. Serum samples from 22 patients with glioblastoma (GBM), before s urgery, and 19 sex and age matched healthy controls were analyzed for circu lating levels of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. At the same time also soluble plasma th rombomodulin, a marker of endothelial cen damage and activation, was detect ed. Soluble ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels were comparable in glioblastoma patien ts and healthy controls, while plasma thrombomodulin (TM) was significantly increased in cancer patients. There was no correlation between thrombomodu lin levers and the presence of an intratumoral hemorrhage detected by CT sc an, while entity of post-contrast enhacemement at CT correlated with higher TM levels. Further study with serial sampling of GEM patients and correlat ion with enhancement at CT will allow to ascertain the value of serum TM as a marker of disease recurrence or angiogenesis in those tumors. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.