Transforming growth-factor-alpha and factor-beta(1) levels in plasma and effusions from patients with cancer or hematologic malignancies.
Transforming growth factors-alpha and -beta1 are thought to play a role in carcinogenesis. Using a sandwich linked immunosorbent assay, we have measured TGF-alpha and -beta1 levels in malignant human plasma and effusions. TGF-alpha and -beta1 plasma levels were not significantly different among normal volunteers, patients with solid tumors, and patients with hematologic malignancies (TGF-alpha, p=0.225; TGF-beta1, p=0.354). Statistically significant differences were also not found in levels between malignant and non-malignant effusions (TGF-alpha, p=0.327; TGF-beta1, p=0.095). However, a trend for the majority of elevated TGF-alpha or TGF-beta1 levels to be in malignant effusions warrants further studies with larger numbers of samples.