title: Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of serum cytokine levels in breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to examine the serum levels of six cytokines (IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10) in treated and untreated breast cancer patients and assess their clinical significance. The correlation of the Th1/Th2 type cytokine levels and the clinicopathologic variables was further evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) was used to examine the levels of Th1 cytokines (TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-2) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10) in serum of 36 untreated and 73 treated breast cancer patients and 51 healthy females as control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the untreated group, the levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-5 were significantly higher than in control group (p < 0.05). IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-5, and IL-10 levels were higher in treated group than in untreated group (p < 0.05); IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio of the treated group was higher than the untreated group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the cytokine levels were significantly different in different pTNM stages and lymph node involvement groups. Survival analysis revealed that the IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio, pTNM stage, and lymph node involvement affected the survival of breast cancer patients. The pTNM stage was an independent significant prognostic factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breast cancer patients presented a Th1/Th2 imbalance and immune function disorder, which correlated with pTNM stage and lymph node involvement. Higher IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio predicted a favorable outcome in breast cancer patients.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Lingbin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yutian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Shenhua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines