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.
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.
Fukushima
Y
Y
Takano Hospital, Department of Molecular Medicine, Kumamoto, Japan.
Tanizaki
E
E
Takagi
K
K
Takano
M
M
Soma
G
G
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*
D015415:Biomarkers; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha