Serum tumor markers in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
The levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptors (sIL-2R), beta-2 microglobulin (beta-2M), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in the serum of 50 previously untreated patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as well as in 25 age and sex-matched normal controls. Compared to normal controls, mean serum levels of sIL-2R and beta-2M were significantly increased in both NHL and CLL (p < 0.001) while the increase in ESR and CRP was less marked (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). Comparison of these tumor markers with histologic grading showed statistically significant differences only for CRP between low, intermediate and high-grade lymphomas (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05). More advanced stages exhibited higher mean values of all serum markers than early stages (p < 0.001 for sIL-2R, beta-2M and ESR and p < 0.05 for CRP). An association with the presence of b-symptoms was observed only for sIL-2R (p < 0.05). In addition, sIL-2R as well as beta-2M were able to predict time to progression in patients with diffuse large-cell lymphomas. We conclude that of the four tumor markers tested sIL-2R and beta-2M more frequently showed increased serum levels and were associated with clinical stage and/or presence of b-symptoms. Both sIL-2R and beta-2M were also found to have prognostic significance for survival.
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Greece.
A N
AN
Pavlidis
J
J
Kalef-Ezra
L C
LC
Bourantas
A
A
Lambrou
A
A
Mavridis
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D015993:Life Tables; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein