SERUM AND CYSTIC FLUID LEVELS OF SOLUBLE INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR-ALPHAIN PATIENTS WITH EPITHELIAL OVARIAN-TUMORS ARE CORRELATED

At the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, patients have higher serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha (IL2R alpha) compared to patie nts with benign ovarian tumors or healthy blood donors (means of 750 v s. 469 and 390 U/ml, respectively, p < 0.001), Serum levels were posit ively related to the extent of the disease, Disease progression was as sociated with rising serum levels of IL-2R alpha in 13 of the 15 patie nts but no advantage was recognized over serum CA 125 measurements whe n following the effect of therapy, We measured higher levels of IL-2R alpha in cystic fluids from epithelial ovarian cancers compared to ben ign ovarian tumors (means of 1,620 and 616 U/ml, respectively, p = 0.0 002, In ovarian cancer patients, serum levels at diagnosis were positi vely correlated to cystic fluid levels (p < 0.0001), The presence of h igh IL-2R alpha levels in cystic fluids from epithelial ovarian cancer may provide a biochemical signal of lymphocyte activation at the tiss ue level.