title: A progressive postoperative increase in the serum level of soluble receptors for interleukin-2 is an indicator of a poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.
abstract: Activated T lymphocytes release a soluble form of IL-2R (SoIL-2R) into the bloodstream, which can be detected by CD25 monoclonal antibody. Perioperative changes of serum levels of SoIL-2R and the number of CD25-positive cells were monitored simultaneously to clarify the clinical implications of SoIL-2R in patients with gastric cancer (n=91). Preoperative levels of SoIL-2R were significantly higher than in normal controls and levels were a useful indicator of possible lymph node involvement. Postoperative levels of SoIL-2R increased independently of the number of CD25-positive cells. Patients with progressive postoperative increases in levels of SoIL-2R had both a significantly high frequency of postoperative relapse and a poor prognosis. Increased SoIL-2R may reduce the availability of IL-2 by binding to it. Postoperative progressive increases in SoIL-2R appear to be a good indicator for a poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maeta
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsujitani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeguchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaibara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D012995:Solubility; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2