INTERLEUKIN-1 RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS AND OTHER MARKERS IN COLORECTAL-CANCER PATIENTS

Background: Although the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) ha s been suggested as a potentially valuable therapeutic agent and has b een shown to improve outcome in various animal models of arthritis, se ptic shock, and inflammatory bowel disease, there is little informatio n available about its level in the circulation in patients with cancer . Methods: Serum levels of IL-1ra, soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL -2r), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and cortiso l were measured in normal controls and patients with colorectal cancer . Results: The data showed that serum IL-1ra levels in patients were s ignificantly lower than those of healthy controls (P < 0.05). In contr ast, serum sIL-2r and cortisol levels in patients were significantly h igher than those of normal controls (P < 0.01). Serum sICAM-1 levels i n patients were the same as in normal controls. Conclusions: These res ults suggested that a reduced level of IL-1ra exists in colorectal can cer patients relative to normal controls, indicating that cancer patie nts have an immunologic disorder and that exogenous IL-1ra administrat ion might be a future alternative for cancer treatment.