Serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor level as a prognostic indicator in gastric cancer

T lymphocytes, activated by interleukin 2 during an anti-tumour response, r elease soluble interleukin 2 receptors (sIL-2R) into the bloodstream. We an alysed the prognostic value of the serum sIL-2R level in gastric cancer. Se rum concentration of sIL-2R in 96 gastric cancer patients and 100 healthy c ontrol subjects' was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All sur vivors were followed for more than 50 months. Serum sIL-2R level was consid ered with respect to prognosis, clinicopathological factors, other tumour m arkers and peripheral blood cell count. Stage III and IV patients had signi ficantly higher sIL-2R levels than lower stage patients and control subject s. Stage ill and IV gastric cancer patients were divided into 'high' and 'l ow' sIL-2R groups based upon the control subjects' serum sIL-2R mean value plus one standard deviation. The high group had a significantly worse progn osis than the low group, although clinicopathological features and treatmen ts were similar. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the serum sIL-2R l evel is an independent indicator. The sIL-2R level did not correlate with c arbohydrate antigen 19-9, however it did correlate with carcinoembryonic an tigen (r= 0.22) and with numbers of peripheral blood monocytes (r= 0.54). I n conclusion, serum sIL-2R may predict the outcome of gastric cancer patien ts with stage III or IV disease.