title: [Serum cytokines in patients with ovarian cancer and benign ovarian cysts].
abstract: The aim of our study was to evaluate serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) as tumor markers--study based on the data about tumor cytokines production and tumor-host interactions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated 48 women: 17 with ovarian cancer untreated before, 16 with benign ovarian cysts and 15 healthy controls. Venous blood for cytokines determinations were obtained before operations and during routine screening tests. Titers of cytokines were measured by means of ELISA technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the control group the upper limit of normal IL-6 titers (95th percentile) was 5.5 pg/ml; the mean IL-8 concentration was 9.6 +/- 15.1 pg/ml and the upper limit of normal was 37 pg/ml; serum TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma were not detectable. In patients with benign ovarian cysts the levels of all investigated cytokines didn't differ significantly from healthy controls. Women with ovarian cancer had significantly higher serum IL-8 levels (mean: 290.5 +/- 351 pg/ml) than healthy controls or women with benign ovarian cysts; 88% of them had IL-8 titers above the normal. The IL-6 titers in ovarian cancer were also higher but didn't reach statistical significance, 53% of them had IL-8 titers above the normal. TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma levels in ovarian cancer were similar to patients with benign ovarian cysts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum IL-8 levels in patients with ovarian cancer were significantly higher when compared to healthy controls and benign ovarian cysts and in almost 90% of ovarian cancers the titers of IL-8 were increased. Additionally, 53% of women with ovarian cancer had elevated serum IL-6 levels.
authors.affiliation: Kliniki Chirurgii Ginekologicznej Instytutu Centrum Zdrowia Matki Polki w Łodzi.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szpakowski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malinowski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wieczorek
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maciołek-Blewniewska
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wilczyński
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szpakowski
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wierzbicka
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Małafiej
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oszukowski
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000276:immunology*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma