DETECTION OF URINARY INTERLEUKIN-2, INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR, AND TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH SUPERFICIAL BLADDER-TUMORS AFTER INTRAVESICAL BCG IMMUNOTHERAPY

Objectives. To investigate the presence of urinary cytokines, after ba cillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy, in order to provide further insi ght into the mechanisms of action of intravesical BCG therapy. Method. Urine levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) levels were determined in 34 patients with superficial bladder tumors after a six-week course of intravesical BCG therapy. The urine samples were obtained at the fift h hour following the sixth course of therapy and the determinations we re made by using an (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniq ue. Results. The pre-BCG levels of IL-2, IL-2R, and TNF (32.1 ng/L, 21 .1 ng/L, 37.6 mug/L, respectively) were increased significantly after therapy (175.2 ng/L, 54.4 ng/L, 625.9 mug/L, respectively). These leve ls remained significantly increased after all patients were stratified according to tumor and patient characteristics. Conclusion. The resul ts of this study provide further evidence for the immunologic basis of the mechanism of action of intravesical BCG therapy.