DOS 2016

DOS Kongressen 2016 ·

Preoperative plasma YKL-40 levels in bone and soft tissue

sarcoma patients

Andrea P. Thorn, Mette L. Harving, Gunnar S. Lausten, Julia S. Johansen, Michael

M. Petersen

Musculoskeletal Tumor Section, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rigshospitalet,

University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Musculoskeletal Tumor Section, Department

of Orthopedic Surgery, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark;

Musculoskeletal Tumor Section, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rigshospitalet,

University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Pathology, Herlev Hospital,

University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Musculoskeletal Tumor Section, Department of

Orthopedic Surgery, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Background:

YKL-40 is a glycoprotein that has showed expression in several types of

cells such as cancer cells. Previous studies have shown that elevated plasma concentra-

tions of YKL- 40 in patients with various types of cancer constitute an independent

prognostic variable for survival.

Purpose / Aim of Study:

The aim of this study was to identify if YKL- 40 in plasma can

serve as a marker for prediction of the outcomes in patients with bone and soft tissue

sarcomas.

Materials and Methods:

Sixty-seven patients (mean age 61 (29-90) years, F/M=

34/33) with bone sarcoma (BS) or soft tissue sarcoma (STS) (BS/STS=15/52) of

the extremities, spine or trunk wall treated by surgical excision at the Department of

Orthopaedics, Rigshospitalet, during the time-period August 2009 until April 2012 were

included in the study. All patients had a blood sample taken at the day of surgery or the

day before surgery. The samples were analysed using ELISA in order to determine the

amount of YKL-40 in plasma. Patient files were reviewed for various information, pa-

tient overall survival was updated January 2016 (minimum follow up of 3.75 years for

patients still alive).

Findings / Results:

The probability of 5-year survival for all sarcoma patients (n=67)

was 64%. Patients with a YKL-40 concentration below the mean (147 μg/L (18-576

μg/L), n=52, 5- year survival 76%) had a better survival (p=0.001) than patients with

YKL-40 concentration above the mean (n=15, 5- year survival 15%). YKL-40 concen-

tration for patients that were still alive at the end of follow-up was lower than patients

who died during the follow up (p=0.02).There was a tendency to higher YKL-40 con-

centration in patients that had local recurrence (p=0.09) and higher malignancy grades

(p=0.11).

Conclusions:

A high YKL-40 plasma concentration measured preoperatively in sarcoma

patients are connected to a poor overall survival.

No conflicts of interest reported