title: Serum Th1 and Th2 cytokine balance in patients of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of bladder pre- and post-intravesical combination immunotherapy.
abstract: Combination therapy with intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) plus interferon-alpha2b (IFN-alpha2b) for superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) seems to be immune-dependent and activation of Th1 immune response is required for clinical efficacy. The present study evaluates circulating serum cytokine profiles (Th1/Th2 cytokines IFN-gamma, IL-2 TNF-alpha, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10) in 41 bladder cancer patients prior to transurethral resection of tumor (TURBT) (pre-therapy), and following intravesical combination immunotherapy (post-therapy) and their association with recurrence. Mean levels of IL-2 and TNF-alpha were significantly reduced while IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly enhanced in pre-therapy samples as compared to controls. Mean levels of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and TNF-alpha were significantly increased while IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly reduced in patients after instillation of combination immunotherapy. These findings suggest that bladder cancer patients develop Th2 dominant status with deficient type 1 immune response that shows tendency to reversal following therapy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology (ICMR), Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, India. abhilashaa@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Abhilasha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Usha
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.forename: Saurabh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Nayan Kumar
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Mohanty
authors.forename: Sunita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saxena
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000283:Administration, Intravesical; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016207:Cytokines; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins