CYTOKINES (IL-6,TNF-ALPHA,IL-1-ALPHA) AND SOLUBLE INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR AS SERUM TUMOR-MARKERS IN MULTIPLE-MYELOMA

The serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2r), and interleukin- 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) were measured in 30 healthy subjects, 22 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), five patients with smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), and 46 with multiple myeloma (MM). Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and sIL-2r were signifi cantly increased in patients with active MM when compared with normal controls. Furthermore, MM patients with advanced aggressive disease ha d significantly higher levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and sIL-2r than thos e with MM in plateau phase. In conclusion, our data support the involv ement of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and sIL-2r in MM. This confirms recent in vi tro studies suggesting that these cytokines may play a central role in the pathogenesis of MM. Our data also show that serum levels of TNF-a lpha, sIL-2r, and, particularly, IL-6 could be useful in the clinical management of patients with MM.