title: Levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha are elevated in serum and ascitic fluid from epithelial ovarian cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to determine whether ovarian cancer patients have activated lymphocytes as indicated by the presence of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha and to compare soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha with other markers in ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ascites and serum from patients with advanced active ovarian cancer was tested for the presence of elevated levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha and compared with normal controls. Levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha were also compared with levels of CA 125 and macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the same patients, to evaluate the correlation between different markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha were detected in 86 of 86 (100%) ascites samples and 67 of 85 (79%) serum samples from patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. In contrast, only 12 of 25 (48%) benign ascites samples and one of 88 (1%) serum samples from controls had elevated levels. There was no obvious correlation between levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha and levels of CA 125; however, levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha did correlate with levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Concurrent measurement of serum-soluble interleukin-2 alpha and CA 125 levels detected 100% of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The detection of elevated levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha in serum and ascites indicates the presence of activated lymphocytes in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Ascites and serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha are elevated in patients with advanced ovarian cancer and warrant assessment as a potential complementary marker to CA 125 for early detection of ovarian cancer and management of patients with advanced ovarian cancer.
authors.affiliation: Toronto General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hurteau
authors.forename: H U
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kurman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Mills
mesh_terms: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D001769:Blood / Q000276:immunology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D016014:Linear Models; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2