Serial measurements of plasma hepatocyte growth factor in patients with pneumonia following cancer chemotherapy

Abstract

In this study, we report plasma hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) levels during cancer chemotherapy and the relationship between plasma HGF and pneumonia onset in 19 patients with primary lung cancer. These measurements are compared with patients plasma HGF levels prior to cancer chemotherapy, as well as with plasma HGF levels in 23 control patients with silicosis. Plasma HGF, as well as peripheral white blood cells and C-reactive protein, were measured every three days during cancer chemotherapy. In the eight patients who did not develop pneumonia, plasma HGF remained within normal limits. In the 11 patients who did develop pneumonia, however, HGF exceeded normal limits three days after the onset of infection. Further-more, the maximum HGF concentration was significantly higher in the 11 patients with pneumonia (0.62±0.12 ng/mL) than in the eight without complications (0.24±0.02,P<0.01), in the entire lung cancer group prior to chemotherapy (0.17±0.01,P<0.01), or in the 23 control patients with silicosis (0.22±0.01,P<0.01). This suggests that HGF may play a role in repairing lung damage due to pneumonia.