SERUM INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA LEVELS AS A MARKER IN HAIRY-CELL LEUKEMIA - CORRELATION WITH DISEASE STATUS AND SIL-2R LEVELS

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a chronic lymphoproliferative disorder of the B cell lineage. In the search for specific markers with prognosti c significance we evaluated the clinical value of IL-1 beta and sIL-2R levels in HCL patients. HCL patients (25) were classified according t o their clinical status as ''active'', ''non active'' disease or parti al or complete remission and response to treatment. We found a good co rrelation between IL-1 beta or IL-2R levels and disease activity: impr oved clinical status or response to different therapies were associate d with decreasing IL-1 beta or sn-2R levels. In contrast, lack of resp onse to therapy or disease progression was reflected in increases in b oth IL-1 beta and sIL-2R levels. In some patients increases of both cy tokines preceded clinical symptoms. In conclusion our results show tha t IL-1 beta and s-IL-2R levels may be used as reliable markers for mon itoring HCL activity, assessing response to treatment and predicting e arly progression of disease.