INCREASED INTERLEUKIN-10 SERUM LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH SOLID TUMORS

In 40 out of 99 patients (40.4%) with solid tumours of different tissu e, but the same stage (IV), elevated serum levels of interleukin-10 we re observed. The mean levels of the cytokine in patients with malignan t melanoma (24.3 ng/ml), pancreatic (6.8 ng/ml) or gastric (6.3 ng/ml) adenocarcinoma were significantly higher than in healthy subjects (3. 4 ng/ml) or in patients with uterine fibroma (1.7 ng/ml). Patients wit h colon (6.8 ng/ml) and renal (5.7 ng/ml) carcinoma had similar values of interleukin-10 but did not significantly differ from controls. Int erleukin-10 is known to suppress the functions of both T lymphocytes a nd macrophages, working as a general dampener of the immune and inflam matory responses. The observation of increased circulating levels of i nterleukin-10 in cancer patients may have important implications for f uture investigations, immunological monitoring and therapeutic interve ntion on neoplastic patients, and suggests a mechanism for tumour cell s escaping from immune surveillance.