SERUM LEVELS OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR (TNF), SOLUBLE RECEPTORS FOR TNF (55- AND 75-KDA STNFR), AND SOLUBLE CD14 (SCD14) IN EPITHELIAL OVARIAN-CANCER

The preoperative serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), soluble receptors for TNF (55- and 75-kDa sTNFr), and soluble CD14 (sCD14) wer e retrospectively measured in 66 patients with epithelial ovarian canc er and in 59 patients with benign ovarian masses. The preoperative ser um TNF and sCD14 levels were higher in patients with epithelial ovaria n cancer than in those with benign ovarian disease (P = 0.001 and P < 0.0001, respectively). Among patients with advanced malignancy, preope rative serum TNF and sCD14 correlated with neither the common prognost ic variables nor the clinical outcome of patients. The preoperative se rum 55- and 75-kDa sTNFr levels were higher in patients with epithelia l ovarian cancer than in those with benign ovarian disease (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.02, respectively). Among patients with advanced malignancy, preoperative serum 55- and 75-kDa sTNFr correlated with FIGO stage (I V vs III, P = 0.008 and P = 0.01, respectively) and with the clinical outcome of patients. Among patients followed after surgery and chemoth erapy for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer, 55- and 75-kDa sTNFr lev els were significantly higher in the samples drawn from patients with clinical evidence of disease when compared to those from patients with out clinical evidence of disease; conversely, TNF and sCD14 levels wer e similar in the two groups. In conclusion, the preoperative serum lev els of TNF, 55- and 75-kDa sTNFr, and sCD14 were significantly higher in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer than in those with benign o varian disease. The measurement of serum TNF and sCD14 seemed to be of limited clinical value for the management of patients with advanced e pithelial ovarian cancer. Conversely, the assay of serum 55- and 75-kD a sTNFr might have a potential clinical relevance, for both prognostic purposes and assessment of disease status. (C) 1995 Academic Press, I nc.