[Level change of IL-10, IL-12 and TNF alpha in the serun of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship and clinical significance between level change of serum Interleukin 10 (IL-10), interleukin 12 (IL-12), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) and primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC).


METHODS
Serum IL-10, IL-12, TNF alpha in 40 patients with PHC, 36 cases with hepatocirrhosis and 33 normal controls were measured with ELISA.


RESULTS
The higher serum levels of IL-10, IL-12, TNF alpha were observed in patients with hepatocirrhosis than in controls (P < 0.01), although IL-12, TNF alpha in the serum of patients with PHC were in the proximity of that of controls (P > 0.05), the IL-10 level was significantly higher than that of control (P < 0.01), further more, IL-10 being opposed to IL-12, TNF alpha is higher in patients with tumor above 5.0 cm in diameter than below 5.0 cm, IL-12 and TNF alpha were declined and IL-10 increased with tumor enlargement.


CONCLUSIONS
The immune dysfunction in patients with PHC may be related to level increase of IL-10. The level decrease of IL-12, TNF alpha and increase of IL-10 is helpful to clinical differential diagnoses between cirrhotic nodule and PHC, and this suggests cancerous tendency.
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Department of Oncology, Second Xangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011.
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12