title: Elevated levels of serum prolactin in patients with advanced multiple myeloma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of prolactin in immunoregulation and normal hemopoiesis is well known. However, prolactin also seems to be involved in the pathomechanism of malignancies and autoimmune diseases. Elevated serum prolactin levels were reported in patients with malignant lymphoma, colon and breast carcinoma, systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. Recently we demonstrated prolactin immunostaining in bone marrow cells of patients with multiple myeloma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum prolactin levels of 56 patients with multiple myeloma, as well as serum beta(2)-microglobulin, and interleukin-6 concentrations were determined in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with advanced disease showed a significant increase in serum prolactin concentration, while patients with a clinical stage of I and II, and also control patients had normal values. The concentration of serum beta(2)-microglobulin and interleukin-6 changed in parallel with that of serum prolactin in patients with multiple myeloma. Determining serum prolactin levels several times during the disease process in a given patient clearly showed that the prolactin concentration was increasing during the disease progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate a role of prolactin in disease progression in multiple myeloma.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Haematology and Immunology, Budapest, Hungary. gadok@freemail.hu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gadó
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rimanóczi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasitz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gigler
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pálóczi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Domján
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000209:etiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015850:Interleukin-6; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D011388:Prolactin; D013972:Thyrotropin; D006854:Hydrocortisone