Influence of G308A polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene on inflammatory markers in postsurgical head and neck cancer patients with early enteral nutrition.
OBJECTIVE
Although immune dysfunction in patients with cancer could be multifactorial, the immune system may be modulated by nutritional substrates and genetic background. Our study evaluated the effect of G308A polymorphism of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene on inflammatory markers in patients after surgery for head and neck cancer who received early enteral nutrition.


METHODS
A population of 60 patients with oral and laryngeal cancer was enrolled. At surgery patients were treated with a hyperproteic enteral diet. Perioperatively and on postoperative day 6 the following parameters were evaluated: serum values of prealbumin, transferrin, total number of lymphocytes, interleukin-6, TNF-alpha, and C-reactive protein. In addition, genotyping of G308A gene polymorphism was assessed.


RESULTS
Patients' mean age was 61.1 +/- 14.6 y (four women, 56 men) with a body mass index of 25.4 +/- 5.2 kg/m(2) and a previous weight loss of 0.35 +/- 0.2 kg. Forty patients (37 men, 3 women; 66.6%) had the genotype G308/G308 (wild group) and 20 patients (19 men, 1 woman; 23.4%) had the genotype G308/A308 (mutant group). A significant increase in prealbumin and transferrin levels was detected in both groups. C-reactive protein decreased in both groups (wild group: 105.1 +/- 60 versus 53.8 +/- 62.3 mg/dL, P < 0.05; mutant group: 99.5 +/- 46 versus 43.9 +/- 51.9 mg/dL, P < 0.05). Interleukin-6 decreased in both groups (wild group: 20.1 +/- 22 versus 6.2 +/- 4.1 pg/mL, P < 0.05; mutant group: 22.3 +/- 38 versus 9.2 +/- 7.4 pg/mL, P = NS). Lymphocytes increased in both groups (wild group: 1102 +/- 468 versus 1600 +/- 537 10(3)/mL, P = NS; mutant group: 1441 +/- 739 10(3)/mL versus 1669 +/- 614 10(6)/mL, P = NS). TNF-alpha showed no changes.


CONCLUSIONS
The G308A polymorphism of the TNF-alpha gene did not affect levels of inflammatory markers in patients after surgery for head and neck cancer who were treated with early enteral nutrition.
de Luis
Daniel Antonio
DA
Institute of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Medicine School and Hospital Rio Hortega, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain. dadluis@yahoo.es
Sagrado
Manue Gonzalez
MG
Vallejo
Luis Angel
LA
Carcedo
Luis María Gil
LM
Izaola
Olatz
O
Cuellar
Luis
L
Terroba
María Concepción
MC
Aller
Rocío
R
D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
D015850:Interleukin-6; D011228:Prealbumin; D014168:Transferrin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein