Impact of serum basic fibroblast growth factor on prognosis in human renalcell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is often characterised by extensive vascularity and an giogenic factors may be of importance for disease progression. Using a sand wich enzyme immunoassay, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was analysed in the sera from 206 patients with renal cell carcinoma before the initiat ion of therapy. The median bFGF level was 3.0 pg/ml (range < 1.0 70.9 pg/ml ). The serum levels were significantly correlated to tumour stage and nucle ar grade. Patients with tumour thrombus to the renal or the inferior caval vein had significantly higher serum bFGF levels compared with those with no n-invading tumours (P=0.007). Patients with serum bFGF levels above 3.0 pg/ ml had a worse prognosis, compared with those with lower levels (P=0.001). Furthermore, patients with tumours with vein invasion had a worse prognosis compared with those without invasion. After multivariate analysis, only tu mour stage and grade remained as independent prognostic factors. (C) 2001 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.