title: Neopterin as a marker for activated cell-mediated immunity: application in malignant disease.
abstract: A review is presented on studies concerning neopterin determination in patients with malignant neoplastic diseases. Neopterin is produced chiefly by human macrophages through their activation by T-cell-derived interferon gamma. In vivo, determinationof neopterin in various body fluids provides a convenient way to monitor early events that are involved in cell-mediated immune responses. In malignant neoplasia, elevation of neopterin concentrations in body fluids depends on tumor type. Within a given type of tumor, more advanced stages are generally associated with higher levels than early disease. In a variety of different tumor types and sites, a significantly poorer prognosis was associated with high pretherapeutic neopterin concentrations. This predictive value is independent of several possible confounders such as stage or therapy. During follow-up malignant disease, neopterin elevations may predict deterioration of the clinical status of the patients and thereby provide a valuable additional marker for monitoring such patients. Possible immunobiological implications of the results are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reibnegger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Fuith
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hausen
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Werner-Felmayer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wachter
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D019798:Neopterin
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin