LEVELS OF SERUM-SOLUBLE RECEPTOR FOR INTERLEUKIN-2 IN PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL-CANCER

The preoperative levels of serum-soluble receptor for interleukin-2 (I L-2R) were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 38 pa tients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer and 98 healthy control s. The levels of serum-soluble IL-2R in the patients with colorectal c ancer were significantly higher than those in the normal controls (P < 0.05). Markedly elevated levels of serum-soluble IL-2R were recognize d in patients with stage IV cancer, those with Dukes' stage D cancer, and those with liver metastasis. Moreover, the prognosis of patients w ith low levels of IL-2R (<531 U/ml) was significantly better than that of those with high levels (P < 0.05), These findings demonstrate that an elevated concentration of soluble IL-2R might be a useful indicato r of liver metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with colorectal c arcinoma.