title: Influence of 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid on interleukin-18 production in colorectal cancer patients.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Immunopathology, Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital G. Martino, Messina, Italy. Rosaria.Merendino@www.unime.it
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Merendino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruello
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cascinu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferlazzo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bene
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bonanno
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Quattrocchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Caristi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangemi
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D020382:Interleukin-18; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil