Serum levels of interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha correlate totumor progression in gastric cancer

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to assess serum levels of Interl eukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha with disease progression and correl ate these levels with CEA and CA19-9 serum levels. Methodology: Serum levels of interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were measured in 23 patients with gastric cancer (being 9 stage I or II and 14 stage III or IV) and 10 patients without cancer by ELISA using Predicta Genzyme Diagnostica. The patients were followed for at least 2 years or un til death. CEA and CA19-9 were also measured in both groups by ELISA (Abbot t Diagnostic). Results: Patients with gastric cancer stage III or IV had elevated levels o f these cytokines (P=0.002 for IL-2 and P=0.003 for tumor necrosis factor-a lpha). There was no difference between the serum levels of tumor necrosis f actor-alpha and interleukin-2 in patients with gastric cancer stage I or II and the control group (P >0,05). We also found no difference among the gro ups for CEA and CA19-9 (P=0.17 and 0.72, respectively). Only one gastric ca ncer patient stage I or II had elevated level of IL-2 and none had elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha. In the group of patients with gastr ic cancer stage III or IV, 87.5% of them with elevated levels of tumor necr osis factor-alpha and 75% of them with elevated levels of interleukin-2 die d during the follow-up. Conclusions: We conclude that serum interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor -alpha are associated with advanced gastric cancer and that these cytokines might be a useful tumor marker for gastric cancer, being associated with p oor prognosis.