SERUM INTERLEUKIN-1 IN OVARIAN-CANCER PATIENTS

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a multifunctional cytokine playing a central r ole in the immune response and displaying direct cytotoxic activity in vitro. Serum IL-1 alpha and beta levels were measured by enzyme linke d immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 75 ovarian cancer patients, 30 patien ts with benign ovarian cysts and 50 healthy controls. Both serum IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta levels were more often elevated in ovarian cancer patients compared with healthy controls (chi-square test, P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). Mean serum IL-1 alpha and beta levels decrease d significantly after surgical intervention (paired t-test, P=0.0001 a nd P=0.0002, respectively). No correlation with histopathological para meters and overall and disease-free survival was found. These prelimin ary results indicate that serum levels of IL-1 alpha and beta represen t a host defence reaction rather than an autonomous tumour cell produc tion. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.