Prognostic significance of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha in adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

Soluble interleukin-2-receptor-alpha (sIL-2R alpha) serum concentrations we re examined in chronic pancreatitis patients, patients with cystadenocarcin oma of the pancreas, patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and healt hy blood donors. sIL-2Ra serum concentrations in pancreatic cancer patients were significantly higher than those of normal control subjects or chronic pancreatitis patients. In patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas no significant differences were found between sIL-2R alpha and tumor size, gra ding, resectability and lymph node involvement. In Kaplan-Meier regression analysis patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas with low sIL-2R alpha levels (<500 U/ml) lived significantly shorter than patients with sIL-2R a lpha concentrations above 500 U/ml (P < 0.01), suggesting that determinatio n of sIL-2R alpha serum concentrations could provide additional important i nformation about prognosis. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All righ ts reserved.