title: Serum levels of interleukin-7 and interleukin-8 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with serum levels of interleukin-7 (IL-7) and IL-8, the two cytokines whose associations with HNSCC need more clarifications. Materials and Methods: Commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were used for the quantification of the cytokines. Sera were collected from 48 untreated patients (36 men and 12 women; mean age: 52.7 ± 9.8 years) and 34 healthy donors (26 men and 8 women; mean age: 53.1 ± 9.0 years). Results: Serum IL-8 level was neither significantly different between HNSCC patients and control individuals nor associated with smoking status, gender, age, tumor location, tumor grade, and stage of the patients (P > 0.05). Regarding IL-7, all control individuals had serum levels below the sensitivity of the kit (3 pg/ml), but nine patients had detectable levels, and that the mean serum IL-7 was significantly higher in the patients compared to the controls (P = 0.008). Conclusions: Serum IL-8 level is not significantly associated with HNSCC. With the sensitivity of the kit we employed, it seems that serum IL-7 levels are specifically elevated in HNSCC patients compared to healthy individuals. Data from other independent studies are required to clarify the possible employment of IL-7 as an HNSCC biomarker.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mojtahedi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khademi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erfani
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taregh
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rafati
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malekzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghaderi