Prognostic value of serum IL-18 and nitric oxide activity in breast cancer patients at operable stage.
Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a multifunctional cytokine that was previously termed interferon-gamma-inducing factor. It has been suggested that serum IL-18 level may be used as a prognostic factor in some cancer types. Nitric oxide is a potent biologic molecule involved in the pathogenesis of cancer. In this study, we measured serum IL-18 and nitrate + nitrite levels in 56 patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer and 14 control subjects. Serum IL-18* and nitrate + nitrite** levels were significantly higher in patients with breast cancer when compared to the control subjects (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.001). Serum IL-18 levels were significantly higher in patients whose tumor size was greater than or equal to 5 cm when compared to patients whose tumor size was less than or equal to 2 cm (p < 0.05). Patients who were axillary lymph node negative (ALN) had lower serum IL-18 levels when compared to patients with positive ALN (p < 0.001). Serum IL-18 levels were significantly higher in patients with stage IIB or IIIA when compared to patients with stage I or IIA (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum nitrate + nitrite levels in terms of age, tumor stage, estrogen receptor, and menopausal and ALN status (p > 0.05). In conclusion, serum IL-18 level may be a useful marker to predict prognosis of patients with breast cancer in complete remission after surgery. Long-term follow-up is required to clarify this hypothesis.
Günel
Nazan
N
Department of Medical Oncology, Gazi University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey.
Coskun
Ugur
U
Sancak
Banu
B
Hasdemir
Oguz
O
Sare
Mustafa
M
Bayram
Orhan
O
Celenkoglu
Gokhan
G
Ozkan
Secil
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis
D015415:Biomarkers; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D020382:Interleukin-18; D018396:Mucin-1; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide