Heparanase expression in blood is sensitive to monitor response to anticancer treatment in pancreatic cancer,a pilot study

Background

/Objectives: High heparanase level was shown in maliganant tumor; however, whether or not heparanase may serve as a sensitive marker to monitor response to anticancer treatment is still unknown.

Methods

In the pilot study, heparanase mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cell fraction (PBMC) and activity in plasma and urine were detected by quantitative real time RT-PCR and heparan-degrading enzyme assay in 31 pancreatic cancer patients.

Results

Heparanase mRNA and activity in samples from cancer patients were significantly higher than that in healthy donors. Both heparanase mRNA and activity in plasma and urine decreased significantly in 17 patients who underwent R₀ resection, but increased remarkably in 6 patients when recurrence or metastasis occurred (P < 0.05). However, those who underwent R₁ or R₂ resection in 6 patients kept stable. For 8 patients who received chemotherapy, heparanase mRNA and activity in plasma and urine decreased in each of the samples (P < 0.05). Patients with high heparanase mRNA (≥a cutoff value of 1.84) in PBMC and activity in plasma (≥1.30U/ml) were associated with a poor postoperative survival (P = 0.02 and P = 0.04).

Conclusions

Heparanase mRNA in PBMC and activity in plasma are closely correlated with therapeutic responsiveness and survival time, indicating that heparanase level in blood might be a sensitive but non-specific marker to monitor patients' response to anticancer treatment and to predict survival.