Markers of increased angiogenesis and their correlation with biological parameters identifying high-risk patients in early B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

✍ Scribed by Stefano Molica; Giovanna Cutrona; Gaetano Vitelli; Rosanna Mirabelli; Matteo Molica; Giovanna Digiesi; Domenico Ribatti; Manlio Ferrarini; Angelo Vacca

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 129 KB
• Volume: 31
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0145-2126
• DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2007.03.009

✦ Synopsis

We wondered whether there was any association between the extent of increased angiogenesis and IgV H gene mutational status, expression of CD38 and ZAP-70 in early B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. Circulating levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) correlated positively with ZAP-70-expression (P = 0.03), CD38-expression (P = 0.03) and mutational status of IgV H (P = 0.005). The same did not apply when correlations were sought with either bone marrow angiogenesis or serum levels of basic fibroblatic growth factor (FGF-2). Studies to determine how to integrate variables reflecting increased angiogenesis with other prognostic markers such as CD38, ZAP-70, IgV H status and cytogenetic abnormalities are needed to optimize risk stratification for individual patients.