Chinese University of Hong Kong, Cancer Institute details research in nasopharyngeal carcinoma therapy
December 1st, 2008
2008 DEC 1 -- Data detailed in 'Plasma osteopontin, hypoxia, and response to radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancer' have been presented. "Recent studies have suggested that osteopontin is induced by hypoxia in head and neck cancer cell lines and its plasma level may serve as a surrogate marker for tumor hypoxia and treatment outcome in head and neck cancer. We investigated the response of osteopontin to in vitro hypoxia in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines, and determined plasma osteopontin levels in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, nonnasopharyngeal carcinoma head and neck cancer patients, and healthy controls," scientists in Hong Kong, People's Republic of China report.
"We explored the relationship of plasma osteopontin and response to radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines HK1, HONE-1, C666-1, and CNE-2 were treated with 0 to 48 hours of hypoxia or normoxia, ±reoxygenation. Osteopontin secretion in the supernatant was measured by ELISA assay. Cellular osteopontin protein and mRNA were detected by Western blotting and reverse transcription-PCR, respectively. Plasma osteopontin levels in patients (n=66; 44 nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 22 head and neck cancer) and controls (n=29) were measured by ELISA. Hypoxia has no effect on osteopontin protein and mRNA level in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Only CNE-2 secreted osteopontin, and there was no significant induction by hypoxia. Plasma osteopontin levels in patients of metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma and head and neck cancer, but not in locoregional nasopharyngeal carcinoma, were significantly higher than in controls. In patients with locoregional nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving curative radiotherapy (n=31), a high (>median) pretreatment plasma osteopontin level was a significant predictor of poor response to radiotherapy (complete response rate, 40% versus 88%; p=0.009), which remained significant in multivariate analysis," wrote E.P. Hui and colleagues, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Cancer Institute.
The researchers concluded: "Our results suggested that the pretreatment plasma osteopontin level may be a useful biomarker of response to radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma."
Hui and colleagues published their study in Clinical Cancer Research (Plasma osteopontin, hypoxia, and response to radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancer. Clinical Cancer Research, 2008;14(21):7080-7).
For more information, contact E.P. Hui, State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Dept. of Clinical Oncology, Sir YK Pao Centre for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Publisher contact information for the journal Clinical Cancer Research is: American Association Cancer Research, 615 Chestnut St., 17TH Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106-4404, USA.
Keywords: People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Therapy, Cancer Research, Experimental Design, Head and Neck Cancer, Head and Neck Neoplasms, Nasal Cancer, Nasal Carcinoma, Oncology, Therapy, Treatment.
This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
