Influence of 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid on interleukin-18 production in colorectal cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
This study was carried out to evaluate the IL-18 blood concentrations of operated colorectal cancer patients and their possible variation in response to combination chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and folinic acid.


METHODS
IL-18 levels were assayed in sera of 18 healthy donors and 18 surgical colorectal cancer patients before and after adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid. An ELISA kit for human IL-18 was used for the assay.


RESULTS
Colorectal cancer patients showed significantly higher baseline levels of IL-18 than healthy donors (p<0.005). Furthermore, serum IL-18 levels increased significantly with respect to baseline in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (p<0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that treatment with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid may provoke an increase in IL-18 serum levels in colorectal cancer patients. This increase may help to explain the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-FU in colorectal cancer.
Merendino
R A
RA
Chair of Immunopathology, Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital G. Martino, Messina, Italy. Rosaria.Merendino@www.unime.it
Ruello
A
A
Cascinu
S
S
Ferlazzo
B
B
Bene
A
A
Bonanno
D
D
Quattrocchi
P
P
Caristi
N
N
Gangemi
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged
D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D020382:Interleukin-18; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil