Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
OBJECTIVE
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a multifunctional cytokine that influences the clinical outcome in a number of diseases. This study was undertaken to evaluate its role in the differential diagnosis of malignant and benign tumors and in the follow-up of patients. We also studied the correlation of TNF-alpha levels with the stage and differentiation of the diseases.


METHODS
In this study, serum levels of TNF-alpha are determined by the immunoradiometric assay method in 26 patients with head and neck cancer, and results are compared with 8 control patients with benign diseases. In both groups, serum samples were taken before and after the therapy. After centrifugation, the sera was stored at -70 degrees C until analyzed. TNF-alpha levels were measured by TNF-alpha immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) kit (Medgenix, Diagnostics SA, Belgium).


RESULTS
The pretreatment mean value of TNF-alpha in the study group (814.1 pg/mL) was almost 100 times higher than in the control group (8.6 pg/mL) (P = .001). It was also noted that posttreatment mean value (94 pg/mL) was significantly lower than pretreatment mean value in the study group (P = .001). No statistically significant difference was found between serum TNF-alpha levels and the stage and differentiation of the tumor.


CONCLUSIONS
The serum levels of TNF-alpha may be an efficient tumor marker in the diagnosis of patients with head and neck cancer.
Department of Otolaryngology, Cukurova University Medical Faculty, Adana, Turkey.
L
L
Soylu
C
C
Ozcan
F
F
Cetik
S
S
Paydaş
M
M
Kiroğlu
B
B
Aydoğan
O
O
Sargin
C
C
Ozşahinoglu
E
E
Seyrek
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha