Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in systemic and tumor venous blood of soft tissue sarcoma patients

Abstract

Soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities contribute to only 0.9% of all neoplasms. Even in experienced hands radical surgical resection is followed by a recurrency rate of 7 to 35%. The reasons for this high percentage of recurrent disease after radical surgery are not yet clear. Since angiogenesis is a key factor in tumor growth we have investigated concentrations of the angiogenic peptide bFGF in systemic blood and soft tissue sarcomas venous blood of 33 consecutive patients undergoing radical tumor resection: liposarcomas (6), malignant fibrous histiozytoma (6), fibrosarcomas (6), clear cell sarcomas (2), leiomyosarcomas (2), others (6). Systemic venous blood was obtained preoperatively, during surgery, lhour, I day and 1 week after operation. 10 cc of venous blood was collected from tumor veins during surgery. Samples wzre centifuged and stored at minus 20*Celsius. bFGF levels were measured with a monoclonal sandwich EL1SA (RD 586+227 pg/ml). Although no pathological bFGF serum levels could be detected in serum of soft tissue sarcoma patients, high bFGF concentrations were found in tumor blood. The fact that non-tumor soft tissue wounds expressed even higher bFGF levels suggests that a marked angiogenic potential is located within the wound bed which might promote tumor growth and development of recurrencies. The data support the importance of radical local tumor resection and anti-angiogenic treatment modalities.