title: Circulating levels of TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors in the plasma of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.
abstract: The significance of circulating levels of TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors (sTNF-Rs) in the plasma of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has not been fully elucidated. The present study was to investigate the relationship of pretreatment plasma levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR-1 and sTNFR-2 with outcome in 126 patients with EOC. Concentrations of TNF-alpha and sTNF-Rs were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Median TNF-alpha and sTNF-Rs levels were significantly higher in EOC patients than in healthy controls. High plasma levels of TNF-alpha and sTNF-Rs were correlated with tumor stage and with reduced mean survival time (MST). The results of the present study suggested that preoperative plasma TNF-alpha and sTNF-Rs levels in EOC patients correlated with the highest risk of cancer progression. Thus, the clinical value of an activated TNF system in EOC needs to be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological and Obstetrical Nursing, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Bozena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dobrzycka
authors.forename: Slawomir J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Terlikowski
authors.forename: Oksana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kowalczuk
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kinalski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000097:blood*; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II / Q000097:blood*; D012995:Solubility; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; C506235:TNFRSF1A protein, human; C415902:TNFRSF1B protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha