| Abstract: | Background
Previous studies have shown that glioma patients have lower blood IgE levels than controls. To evaluate its potential as a surrogate biomarker for glioma, we measured plasma IgE levels in glioma patients and healthy controls, and correlated them with clinicopathological factors and the patients' outcome.
Methods
We used enzyme-linked immunosorbance assay (ELISA) to determine the plasma IgE levels of 25 normal subjects and 232 glioma patients (85 grade II glioma patients, 40 grade III glioma patients and 107 GBM patients). We also collected longitudinal plasma samples from GBM patients and compared the plasma IgE levels before operation, one week after operation, in the middle of radiotherapy, after two cycles of chemotherapy, and after recurrence. The correlations between plasma IgE levels and the outcomes of the patients were determined.
Results
We found plasma IgE levels were significantly lower in glioma patients (p=0.004), low-grade glioma patients have lower IgE levels than high-grade glioma patients do (p=0.029). In 24 patients with paired preoperational and two cycles chemotherapy plasma samples, IgE levels increased after successful removal of the tumor (p=0.002), and the increase correlated with the patients' survival (increase >100ng/mL vs <=100ng/mL, 127.5 weeks vs 62.3 weeks. p=0.012, Log Rank). Plasma IgE level increase of >100ng/mL has 80% specificity and 78% sensitivity to predict the patients' long survival (>18 months).
Conclusions
Our results suggest that plasma IgE level correlates with clinical and pathological factors in glioma patients. It has the potential to become a biomarker for glioma patients. |
