Prognostic value of preoperative von Willebrand factor plasma levels in patients with Glioblastoma

Abstract

Circulating biomarker for malignant gliomas could improve both differential diagnosis and clinical management of brain tumor patients. Among all gliomas, glioblastoma (GBM) is considered the most hypervascularized tumor with activation of multiple proangiogenic signaling pathways that enhance tumor growth. To investigate whether preoperative antigen plasma level of von Willebrand Factor (VWF:Ag) might be possible marker for GBM onset, progression, and prognosis, we retrospectively examined 57 patients with histological diagnosis for GBM and 23 meningiomas (MNGs), benign intracranial expansive lesions, enrolled as controls. Blood samples were collected from all the patients before tumor resection. Plasma von Willebrand Factor (VWF):Ag levels were determined by using a latex particle‐enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay. The median levels of vWF:Ag were significantly higher in GBMs than in meningiomas (MNGs) (183 vs. 133 IU/dL, P = 0.01). The cumulative 1‐year survival was significantly shorter in patients with VWF:Ag levels >200 IU/dL than in those with levels <200 IU/dL and increased VWF levels were associated with a threefold higher risk of death in GBM patients. Our data suggest that VWF:Ag could be a circulating biomarker of disease malignancy, that could be considered, in association with other genetic and epigenetic factors, currently available in the GBM management. Future studies should investigate whether plasma VWF:Ag levels could also be used to monitor therapeutic effects and whether it may have a prognostic value.

Tumor-Educated Platelets and Angiogenesis in Glioblastoma: Another Brick in the Wall for Novel Prognostic and Targetable Biomarkers, Changing the Vision from a Localized Tumor to a Systemic Pathology

“…The strong activation of GECs causes exposition on their surfaces for VWF, which mediates PLT recruitment, aggregation, and activation. We previously reported higher plasma levels of VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) in GBM patients compared to patients with benign lesions, showing that higher VWF plasma levels were correlated with shorter survival, rendering VWF:Ag levels a putative circulating prognostic factor [11].…”

Observational study of coagulation activation in early breast cancer: development of a prognostic model based on data from the real world setting

“…On the other side of the medal, biomarkers related to coagulation disorders have shown prognostic relevance in lung, colorectal, ovarian cancer and glioblastoma, independently on the occurrence of VTE [ 8 – 11 ]. When focusing on breast malignancies, rapidly growing evidence comes from both the advanced and early setting.…”

Increased expression of von Willebrand factor gene is associated with poorer survival in primary lower grade glioma

“…However, a few studies have reported V detection in cancer cells of nonendothelial origin including osteosarcoma and glioma,[5] and VWF is a prognostic factor in GBM. [6] In the current analysis, we examined The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data to assess the effect of VWF gene expression on prognosis in patients with LGGs.…”