Postoperative increase in soluble interleukin-2 receptor serum levels as predictor for early recurrence in non-small cell lung carcinoma.
It is known that interleukin-2 (IL-2) plays an important role in the activation of host antitumor immune response. In addition to IL-2 cell surface receptor, a soluble form of IL-2 receptor (SIL-2R) may be released in the blood and potentially be involved in the regulation of IL-2 availability. High SIL-2R levels have been found in patients with lung cancer. The current study evaluated the influence of changes in SIL-2R serum levels during the perioperative period on early relapse rate in patients with operable non-small cell lung cancer. The study included 60 patients (epidermoid carcinoma, 33; adenocarcinoma, 27). Serum levels of SIL-2R were measured with an enzyme immunoassay before surgery and 7 and 30 days after surgery. A surgery-induced increase in SIL-2R levels was seen 7 days after surgery in 38 of 60 patients. On the 30th day after surgery, SIL-2R values were lower than the preoperative values in 32 patients (Group A) or still greater in the other 28 patients (Group B). After a median follow-up of 10 months, relapse occurred in 19 of 60 patients. The relapse rate was significantly higher in Group B than in Group A patients (16 of 28 versus 3 of 32, respectively; P less than 0.001). This difference also was significant in relation to histotype and node status. This study shows that the persistence of increased SIL-2R levels in the postoperative period is associated with a higher early relapse rate in patients with operable non-small cell lung cancer. The impact of SIL-2R levels on relapse suggests that host immune defenses may influence the clinical course of patients with lung cancer. Therefore, the evaluation of SIL-2R in the perioperative period may represent a new prognostic biologic factor in operable non-small cell lung cancer.
Tisi
E
E
Division of Thoracic Surgery, San Gerardo Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Lissoni
P
P
Angeli
M
M
Arrigoni
C
C
Corno
E
E
Cassina
E
E
Ballabio
D
D
Benenti
C
C
Barni
S
S
Tancini
G
G
D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D012008:Recurrence; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2