title: Inducibility of endogenous tumor necrosis factor by tumor cells from colorectal tumor patients at Dukes stage C as a novel prognostic factor following curative operation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is well known that tumor cells secrete endogenous tumor necrosis factor (en-TNF) as a cytokine when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We, therefore, analyzed the biologic role of en-TNF secreted by tumor cells themselves to learn the prognosis of patients and the susceptibility of tumors to biologic response modifiers in particular.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with Dukes C colorectal tumors were studied after curative operation to determine the inducibility of en-TNF by their primary cultured cells in response to LPS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Irrespective of the known clinicopathologic factors of the tumors, en-TNF was produced in 21 of a total of 44 patients. The group of patients with clear en-TNF production showed a significantly lower incidence of recurrence and/or metastasis and a higher survival rate than the group without en-TNF production, suggesting a strong correlation between patient prognosis and inducibility of en-TNF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inducibility of en-TNF by tumor cells themselves can be a novel prognostic factor for patients with colorectal tumor, especially of Dukes Stage C.
authors.affiliation: Takano Hospital, Department of Molecular Medicine, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tanizaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soma
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha