title: Soluble interleukin-2 receptor in stage I-III melanoma.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to assess the prognostic value of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) serum levels in stage I-III melanoma patients. The levels of sIL-2R were determined using an enzyme immunometric test kit in 329 patients affected by malignant melanoma (MM) from 1995 to 2004. Correlations between sIL-2R values, baseline patients and tumour features were studied by contingency tables and the chi-square test. The Kaplan-Meier product limit method was applied to plot disease-free survival (DFS) curves. Univariate analysis was performed with the Log-rank test. Cox proportional-hazards regression was used to analyse the effect of several risk factors on DFS. In total, 2330 blood samples were collected during follow-up of 329 MM patients. Forty-five (13.7%) patients had Breslow tumour thickness<or=1.00, 83 (25.2%) patients>1.00 and <or=2.00 mm, 72 (21.9%) patients>2.00 and <or=4.00 mm, and 47 (14.3%) patients>4.00 mm. Ulceration was present in 64 cases (19.4%). Thirty-nine sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) (11.8%) were infiltrated by MM. Soluble IL-2R values ranged from 130 to 1420 U/ml; median value was 500 U/ml. One hundred twenty-one (36.8%) patients presented with sIL-2R>600 U/ml at first measure (FM), 194 patients (58.9%) with values increasing up to or more than 600 U/ml [increasing values (IV) pattern]. A correlation was found between Breslow's tumour values and the IV sIL-2R pattern group (P=0.0304 with chi2 test). Gender, presence of ulceration, Breslow tumour thickness, FM and IV sIL-2R pattern groups had a significant prognostic value for DFS. At multivariate analysis, presence of ulceration, gender, FM and IV sIL-2R pattern groups emerged as independent prognostic factors for DFS. The 5-year DFS rate was 88% for patients with FM<600 U/ml and 76.9% for patients with FM>600 U/ml. In IV pattern, the 5-year DFS rate was 69.5% compared to 87% for patients with no sIL-2R values>600 U/ml during follow-up. sIL-2R values are associated with progression of MM. Further studies are needed to address the role of the IL-2/IL-2R/sIL-2R axis in melanoma biology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology, National Cancer Institute of Naples, G. Pascale Foundation, via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ottaiano
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Simeone
authors.forename: Paolo Antonio
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ascierto
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scala
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calemma
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bryce
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caracò
authors.forename: Rocco A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Satriano
authors.forename: Nicoletti
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gianfranco
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Botti
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castello
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2