Bone marrow angiogenesis in patients achieving complete response after stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma

Abstract

Although most of the initial studies in angiogenesis were done on solid tumors, there is now data suggesting the importance of angiogenesis in hematologic malignancies. We estimated bone marrow microvessel density before autologous stem cell transplantation and at the time of response in 13 patients with myeloma (seven complete and six partial responders) using an immunohistochemical stain for factor VIII-related antigen (von Willebrand factor). , P = 0.003. There was no difference in microvessel density at the time of complete or partial response compared to values prior to transplantation. This report confirms that increased angiogenesis is found in myeloma bone marrow prior to transplantation, and suggests that increased angiogenesis persists even after complete response.

First-line thalidomide–dexamethasone therapy in preparation for autologous stem cell transplantation in young patients (<61 years) with symptomatic multiple myeloma

“…17,18 Thalidomide was initially studied for the treatment of advanced and refractory MM 8 because of its potential antiangiogenic effect. 19 Response rates of about 30% reported by Singhal et al 8 were confirmed by others groups.…”

“…Number of days to ANC4500/ml 11 (9-16) PLTC420 000/ml 14 (10-22) PLTC450 000/ml 17 (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30) PLT transfusions (no.) 3 (0-16) RBC transfusions (no.)…”

Vasculogenic mimicry by bone marrow macrophages in patients with multiple myeloma

“…This phenomenon forms partly through angiogenesis (Rajkumar et al, 1999;Vacca et al, 1999), and is endowed with the overangiogenic phenotype of ECs (multiple myeloma patient-derived endothelial cells, MMECs) (Vacca et al, 2003). It is not yet known whether it may also be partly formed by postnatal vasculogenesis: some evidence to this effect is available in the form of marked expression of AC133 (or CD133) by MMECs (Vacca et al, 2003), a molecule that is highly expressed by hemangioblasts and angioblasts and kept during their differentiation into ECs (Peichev et al, 2000), and of the finding that circulating angioblasts can differentiate into MMECs (Zhang et al, 2005).…”

Prognostic value of bone marrow angiogenesis in multiple myeloma: Use of light microscopy as well as computerized image analyzer in the assessment of microvessel density and total vascular area in multiple myeloma and its correlation with various clinical, histological, and laboratory parameters

“…Increased angiogene-sis has been found to be an adverse prognostic factor in several solid tumors [2,3]. Although many of the initial studies were done on solid tumors, recent evidence indicates that increased angiogenesis may be important in hematological malignancies as well [4,5].…”