Estimation of plasma concentrations of hepatocyte growth factor in acute leukemia in Upper Egypt

BackgroundAngiogenesis is a fundamental element during malignant transformation, the induction of angiogenesis has been proposed to be through angiogenic factors such as the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF).AimThe aim of the study was to assess plasma concentrations of HGF in acute leukemia in Upper Egypt.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional study of 90 subjects and divided them into three groups, group I consisted of 30 newly diagnosed acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL) cases, group II consisted of 30 patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases and group III consisted of 30 apparently healthy persons as control subjects. Plasma HGF was measured using the ELISA technique.ResultsStatistical comparison between the mean values of plasma HGF in the three studied groups using the F-test followed by the least significant difference showed a significant difference (F = 77, P = 0.001) between ALL cases and the control group and between AML cases and the control group.ConclusionThe results of the present study suggest that high plasma HGF may play a significant role in the leukemia process and contribute to the leukemic cell dissemination. The clinical significance of the increased level of HGF in acute leukemia needs further investigation and may suggest a novel therapeutic approach in this disease.