title: Higher serum levels of tumour necrosis factor and its soluble receptors are associated with ovarian tumours.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and its soluble receptors type 1 (sTNF-R1) and type 2 (sTNF-R2) have been suggested as key mediators between apoptosis and cancer cell progression. The aim was to examine concentrations of the parameters in the serum of women with ovarian tumour and in the fluid from ovarian cysts of women with serous cystadenoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 125 women with ovarian tumours. As a control, sera were obtained from 70 healthy female volunteers. Concentrations of TNF, sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant increases of TNF, sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 were found in the serum of women with ovarian tumour in comparison to the control (p < 0.0001). The highest levels of all studied parameters were observed in women with ovarian cancer. In the ovarian cyst fluid the concentrations of the evaluated parameters increased significantly as compared to the serum (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data showed changes in regulatory mechanisms of apoptosis in women with ovarian tumours which are associated with increased concentrations of all studied factors. Serum estimated TNF and especially sTNF-R may be used as complementary diagnostic markers in patients with ovarian tumours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Serology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mielczarek-Palacz
authors.forename: Zdzisława
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kondera-Anasz
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sikora