title: Serum interleukin 2 receptor levels in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: The clinical significance of interleukin 2 receptor (IL2R) concentrations in serum was determined for 344 children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Serum levels of IL2R in patients (267 to 80,000 U/mL, median 2,007 U/mL) were significantly higher than normal control values (170 to 738 U/mL, median 347 U/mL) (P less than .0001). Measurements in cases of T cell ALL were lower than in the non-T, non-B cases (P = .02). Among the 264 patients with non-T, non-B ALL, but not in those with T cell disease, higher serum IL2R levels (greater than 2,000 U/mL) were associated with a poorer treatment outcome (P = .04). In a multivariate analysis, serum IL2R level contributed independent prognostic information beyond that conveyed by leukocyte count, race, and age (P = .04). One explanation for these results is that soluble IL2R competes with normal lymphocyte-integrated IL2R for the ligand and thus could suppress host antitumor immunity.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2
chemical_list: D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2