Serum cytokines in non-treated ovarian cancer patients

We estimated the levels of TNF alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, sIL-6R, IL-8, IL-10, sIL-2R, sIL-6R, TNF RII, G-CSF, M-CSF, GM-CSF, bFGF and VEGF in the sera o f 51 untreated patients with ovarian cancer. Sera taken from 40 healthy vol unteers were included as controls. The results indicated that the concentra tions of circulating IL-6, IL-g, IL-10, sIL-2R, sTNF RI, sTNF RII, M-CSF, T NFa and VEGF were significantly elevated in ovarian cancer patients as comp ared to controls. There was no significant difference between the median le vels of IL-IP, sIL-6R, and GM-CSF in patients and controls. We conclude tha t IL-6, sTNF Rf, M-CSF, IL-g, IL-IO, sIL-2R, TNF RII, bFGF and VEGF may pla y an important role in the diagnosis and monitoring of ovarian cancer patie nts.