World Journal of Oncology, ISSN 1920-4531 print, 1920-454X online, Open Access
Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, World J Oncol and Elmer Press Inc
Journal website http://www.wjon.org

Original Article

Volume 10, Number 4-5, October 2019, pages 169-175


Serum Neurofilament Light, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and Tau Are Possible Serum Biomarkers for Activity of Brain Metastases and Gliomas

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1. Neuronal and glial biomarkers. NfL: neurofilament light protein; GFAp: glial fibrillary acidic protein; tau: tau protein.
Figure 2.
Figure 2. sNfL, GFAp and tau concentrations per intracranial neoplasm group. There is statistically significant difference in sNfL, GFAp and tau levels between groups, although concentrations were not clinically meaningful for tau. CNSPD: patients with CNS tumors with progressive disease; CNSSD: patients with CNS with stable disease; CNBM: patients with metastatic cancer with no brain metastasis; BM: patients with metastatic solid tumors with known brain metastasis; C: healthy controls; remote BM: patient without evidence of measurable disease, but with prior treatment of a metastatic brain lesion, more than 2 years before inclusion in the study. sNfL: serum neurofilament light chain; GFAp: glial fibrillary acidic protein; tau: tau protein; CNS: central nervous system.

Tables

Table 1. Conditions Per Group
 
CNSPDCNSSDCNBMBMRemote BM
DLBCL: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; PCL: primary central nervous system lymphoma; CML: chronic myeloid leukemia; NSCLC: non-small cell lung cancer; HER2: human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; EGFR: epidermal growth factor receptor; CNS: central nervous system; CNSPD: patients with CNS tumors with progressive disease; CNSSD: patients with CNS with stable disease; CNBM: patients with metastatic cancer with no brain metastasis; BM: patients with metastatic solid tumors with known brain metastasis; C: healthy controls; remote BM: patient without evidence of measurable disease, but with prior treatment of a metastatic brain lesion, more than 2 years before inclusion in the study.
DLBCLGlioblastomaCMLBreast HR+ HER2-Esophageal cancer HER2-
Mantle Cell LymphomaGlioblastomaColorectal cancerBreast HR+ HER2-
GlioblastomaGlioblastomaColorectal cancerBreast HR+ HER2-
GlioblastomaGlioma IIColangiocarcinomaNSCLC
GlioblastomaGlioma IIIEsophageal HER2-NSCLC
GlioblastomaHIV-PCLFollicular LymphomaNSCLC
OligodendrogliomaOligoastrocytomaMelanomaNSCLC
EGFR mutated
OligodendrogliomaPolycythemia vera
Prostate cancer

 

Table 2. Characteristics of the Study Participants
 
GroupCNSPDCNSSDCNBMBMRemote BMC
NA: non-available; CNS: central nervous system; CNSPD: patients with CNS tumors with progressive disease; CNSSD: patients with CNS with stable disease; CNBM: patients with metastatic cancer with no brain metastasis; BM: patients with metastatic solid tumors with known brain metastasis; C: healthy controls; remote BM: patient without evidence of measurable disease, but with prior treatment of a metastatic brain lesion, more than 2 years before inclusion in the study.
No.879714
Age, median (range), years45.5 (42 - 74)58 (40 - 81)62 (30 - 78)57 (43 - 75)6149 (36 - 62)
Ethnicity (%W)8857894310050
Lines of systemic treatment, median (range)2 (1 - 3)1 (1 - 2)1 (1 - 3)1 (0 - 4)1NA
Radiation therapy to CNS66No71No
AntihistamineNo1NoNoNoNo
Benzodiazepine11NoNoNoNo
MemantineNoNoNo1NoNo
Antidepressant214NoNoNo
AntipsychoticNoNoNoNoNoNo
Anticonvulsant33NoNoNoNo

 

Table 3. Median Serum NfL, Tau and GFAp Concentrations Per Group
 
Group, median (range), pg/mLCNSPDCNSSDCNBMBMRemote BMC
CNS: central nervous system; CNSPD: patients with CNS tumors with progressive disease; CNSSD: patients with CNS with stable disease; CNBM: patients with metastatic cancer with no brain metastasis; BM: patients with metastatic solid tumors with known brain metastasis; C: healthy controls; remote BM: patient without evidence of measurable disease, but with prior treatment of a metastatic brain lesion, more than 2 years before inclusion in the study. NfL: neurofilament light protein; GFAp: glial fibrillary acidic protein; tau: tau protein.
Serum NfL239.4 (96.7 - 1,101.4)23.0 (12.6 - 135.3)11.8 (4.7 - 51.4)142.3 (67.8 - 284.9)13.97.2 (3.2 - 14.8)
Serum GFAp2,092.1 (227,8 - 3,435,6)163.1 (49.7- 538.8)90.2 (40.4 - 270.1)557.7 (201.2 - 5,972.8)97.174.5 (46.9 - 147.8)
Serum tau6.1 (2.5 - 13.3)9.5 (4.2 - 10.9)12.5 (4.1 - 20.6)6.5 (2.5 - 9.6)7.48.25 (6.2 - 13.8)