Urinary interleukin-8 levels are elevated in subjects with transitional cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Interleukin (IL)-8 is one of several angiogenic factors produced in bladder cancer cell lines. Although many studies have indicated that IL-8 is increased in infectious/inflammatory processes, elevated levels of IL-8 in urine also may be indicative of active transitional cell carcinoma (TCC).


METHODS
Urinary IL-8 levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in subjects with TCC (n = 51), prostate cancer (n = 17), or a history of successfully treated TCC (n = 23) and in healthy subjects (n = 49). In addition, urinary IL-8 levels were measured in 21 subjects before, during, and 1 month after intravesical therapy with bacille Calmette-Guérin or mitomycin C.


RESULTS
The median urinary IL-8 levels were greater in subjects with TCC (64 pg/mL urine) than in healthy subjects (6 pg/mL urine), subjects with prostate cancer (0.5 pg/mL urine), or subjects with a history of successfully treated TCC (5.0 pg/mL urine). Urinary IL-8 levels were greater in subjects with invasive (high-stage) TCC than in those with low-stage TCC. Furthermore, the postintravesical instillation levels of urinary IL-8 levels were greater in patients whose TCC recurred compared with those whose TCC was in remission.


CONCLUSIONS
IL-8 levels were greater in subjects with TCC compared with those with successfully treated TCC. IL-8 levels increased with TCC stage, indicating that they are greater in more invasive (ie, angiogenic) tumors. A reduction in urinary IL-8 levels after treatment with bacille Calmette-Guérin or mitomycin C may reflect a decrease in bladder cancer cells and/or in other cells that produce IL-8.
Sheryka
Elinore
E
Section of Urology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8041, USA.
Wheeler
Marcia A
MA
Hausladen
Derek A
DA
Weiss
Robert M
RM
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000652:urine; D000283:Administration, Intravesical; D000368:Aged; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000652:urine*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000652:urine; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000652:urine; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy / Q000652:urine*
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016209:Interleukin-8; D016685:Mitomycin