title: [Study of immunological indicators in peripheral blood for nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find reliable diagnostic immunological indicators in peripheral blood for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and to evaluate the possibility of cancer screening and early diagnosis of the malignancies in the future.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma samples were obtained from 83 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and from 105 patients with benign diseases. Nine cytokines were selected as the candidates for the indicators and their quantity in the plasma samples determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the result of which was analyzed statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interleukin (IL)-4 level was obviously increased, while IL-6, IL-12, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, interferon (IFN)-gamma levels significantly reduced (P<0.05) in the plasma from patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These cytokins may serve as the indicators in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Medical School, Sun Yet-Sen University, Guangzhou 510089, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jian-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rui-Ping
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Yun-Shao
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma