title: Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in prostate cancer patients: rise in interleukin 6 (IL-6) but not IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, tumor necrosis factor-α, MIP-1-α, and LIF levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of radiotherapy (RT) on serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), macrophage inflammatory protein-1-alpha (MIP-1-α) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in patients with prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty eight patients with prostate cancer received three-dimensional conformal blocking radiation therapy with a linear accelerator. IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, TNF-α, MIP-1-α, and LIF levels were measured by the related immunoassay kit 1 day before the beginning of RT and during RT at days 15 and 30.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean IL-2 values were elevated before and during the RT in contrast with those of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, TNF-α, MIP-1-α, and LIF, which were within the normal range under the same conditions. Regarding markers IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, TNF-α, MIP-1-α, and LIF, comparisons among the three groups (before treatment and 15 and 30 days during RT) did not show significant differences. Although values were within the normal range, there was a significant rise in IL-6 levels at day 15 of RT (p = 0.0049) and a decline at day 30 to levels that were similar to those observed before RT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-6 appeared to peak after 15 days of RT before returning to pre-RT levels. In contrast, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, TNF-α, MIP-1-α, and LIF levels were not sensitive to irradiation. The increased levels of IL-6 following RT without the concurrent elevation of other cytokines involved in the acute phase reaction did not suggest a classical inflammatory response to radiation exposure. Further studies should be designed to elucidate the role of IL-6 levels in patients with prostate cancer treated with RT.
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, Centro de Oncologia Radioterapica do Vale do Paraíba, Universidade do Vale do Paraíba Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, Sao Jose dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Oliveira
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Callera
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D054405:Chemokine CCL3 / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015848:Interleukin-5; D015850:Interleukin-6; C507837:LIF protein, human; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4