The significance of serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and transforming growth factor alpha in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) in 51 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma before, during, and after radiation therapy (5-year follow-up period).


RESULTS
The mean +/- SD serum levels of the 2 cytokines were found to be higher in patients before radiotherapy (sICAM-1, 369.6 +/- 123.7 ng/mL; TGF-alpha, 36.6 +/- 24.6 ng/mL) than after radiotherapy (sICAM-1, 225.9 +/- 124.3 ng/mL; TGF-alpha, 20.2 +/- 22.3 ng/mL) (P<.05), and they were significantly higher in patients with recurrence (sICAM-1, 512.5 +/- 271.2 ng/mL; TGF-alpha, 48.2 +/- 23.4 ng/mL) and in those who died (sICAM-1, 542.6 +/- 245.4 ng/mL; TGF-alpha, 50.2 +/- 28.8 ng/mL) than in patients with no recurrence (sICAM-1, 217.9 +/- 116.4 ng/mL; TGF-d, 21.5 +/- 26.8 ng/mL) and in those who survived (sICAM-1, 209.4 +/- 167.2 ng/mL; TGF-alpha, 20.4 +/- 27.3 ng/mL) (P<.05). The increases in serum levels occurred approximately 3 months before relapse.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that sICAM-1 and TGF-alpha levels are extremely useful markers for predicting illness, recurrence, and survival.
Yu
Yongqiang
Y
Department of Otolaryngology, Beifang Hospital of Shenyang, 83 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 220-015, China. chanpingwang@yahoo.ca
Dong
Weidong
W
Zhou
Xiaorong
X
Li
Shuhua
S
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000097:blood*
D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1