SERUM LEVELS OF SOLUBLE INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR IN RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA

Objectives, To evaluate increased serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods, Serum sIL-2R levels were measured in 52 patients with RCC and 10 cont rol subjects by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique . The correlation between serum sIL-2R levels and clinical stage, dise ase prognostic value, and inflammatory marker levels was analyzed. Res ults, Serum sIL-2R levels in patients with RCC were significantly high er than those in normal control subjects (857.2 +/- 660.0 versus 291.3 +/- 76.4 U/mL, P < 0.0001). High serum sIL-2R levels appeared to be r elated to advanced clinical stage (596.0 +/- 276.5 U/mL in Stage II, 7 76.1 +/- 398.8 U/mL in Stage III, and 1310.0 +/- 926.7 U/mL in Stage I V: Stage II vs. Stage III, P = 0.0078; Stage II vs. Stage IV, P < 0.00 01), The overall cause-specific survival curves showed that patients w ith high sIL-2R levels (more than 1000 U/mL) had a significantly lower survival rate than those with low (less than 500 U/mL, P = 0.0003) or intermediate levels (500 to 1000 U/mL, P = 0.0007). C-reactive protei n levels apparently increased in patients with high sIL-2R concentrati ons. Conclusions. Measurement of serum sIL-2R concentrations in patien ts with RCC provides useful information for predicting the extent of d isease and length of survival. (C) 1998, Elsevier Science Inc. All rig hts reserved.