The clinicopathological significance of preoperative serum-soluble interleukin-2 receptor concentrations in operable non-small-cell lung cancer patients

Background: Serum-soluble interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) concentrations hav e been found to be elevated in cancer patients. However, the importance of this finding in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not be en previously established. Methods: Preoperative serum-soluble IL-2R concentrations were determined in 65 consecutive patients with operable NSCLC. The correlation of preoperati ve serum-soluble IL-2R concentrations with various clinicopathological feat ures of this cancer was evaluated to clarify the clinical significance of t his parameter. Results: Although serum-soluble IL-2R concentrations were not significantly higher in operable NSCLC patients than in normal controls (P = .1180), ser um-soluble IL-2R concentrations were significantly higher in patients with stage IIIB or IV disease than in normal controls (P =.0001). The presence o f intrapulmonary metastasis was the only clidicopathological feature that w as significantly correlated to serum-soluble IL-2R concentration (P = .0004 ). The sensitivity of serum-soluble IL2R concentration in identifying the p resence of intrapulmonary metastasis was 87.5%; specificity was 75%. Conclusions: Elevated preoperative serum-soluble IL-2R concentrations in pa tients with operable NSCLC reflect the occurrence of intrapulmonary metasta sis. Preoperative examination of serum-soluble IL-2R concentrations may be valuable in the detection of the intrapulmonary metastasis preoperatively.