RADICAL ONCOLOGIC SURGERY AFFECTS THE CIRCULATORY LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN-10

Background and Objective: Interleukin 10 (IL-10) has been shown to be elevated in the plasma of cancer-bearing patients. The source of syste mic IL-IO may be the tumor microenvironment. We therefore tried to eva luate if ablative surgery for gastrointestinal cancer could affect the levels of circulating IL-10. Methods: Plasma IL-10 concentration was measured in 45 patients with adenocarcinoma of the gastrointestinal tr act. Forty healthy subjects, 15 women undergoing hysterectomy for uter ine fibroma, and 15 patients undergoing palliative operation for pancr eatic cancer were used as control groups. Plasma IL-10 was assessed 1 day before surgery (baseline) and 1, 4, and 8 days after operation. Re sults: The baseline concentration of IL-IO was significantly higher in cancer patients than in healthy subjects and in women with fibroma (8 .6 ng/mL, 2.1 and 1.8 respectively; P = 0.015). After radical surgery, the IL-10 levels significantly dropped in cancer patients (from 8.6 n g/mL to 3.8: P = 0.024), whereas in subjects undergoing palliative ope ration, the concentration remained elevated (8.5 ng/mL baseline versus 7.9 on day +1). Conclusions: The origin of circulating IL-10 may be t he tumor microenvironment. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.