Objective: To determine serum interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels and their clinical significance in patients with prostate cancer. Methods: Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 38 nonmetastatic and 18 metastatic pro...Objective: To determine serum interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels and their clinical significance in patients with prostate cancer. Methods: Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 38 nonmetastatic and 18 metastatic prostate cancer patients who underwent curative surgery and from 25 healthy volunteers. The serum IL-18 level was determined in each sample with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The levels of serum IL-18 were increased significantly in prostate cancer patients compared with control subjects (P < 0.05). Serum IL-18 levels were significantly higher in the metastatic patients compared with the nonmetastatic patients (P < 0.01). Patients with bone metastasis had higher serum IL-18 levels compared with patients with liver and lung metastasis (P < 0.01). When the patients were subdivided into groups, it was found that the serum IL-18 levels in patients with T2, T3 and T4 stage were significantly higher than that of T1 stage patients (P < 0.01). Pa- tients with IL-18 levels ≥ 316 pg/mL experienced a significantly lower survival rate compared with the patients who had IL-18 levels < 316 pg/mL after undergoing surgery (P < 0.05). The serum IL-18 level was identified as an independent postopera- tive prognostic factor in multivariate survival analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model (hazard ratio, 4.21; P = 0.02). Conclusion: The serum IL-18 level may be a useful marker in monitoring prostate cancer patients. IL-18 activity in prostate cancer patients with bone metastasis may be more valuable in the follow-up.展开更多
文摘Objective: To determine serum interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels and their clinical significance in patients with prostate cancer. Methods: Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 38 nonmetastatic and 18 metastatic prostate cancer patients who underwent curative surgery and from 25 healthy volunteers. The serum IL-18 level was determined in each sample with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The levels of serum IL-18 were increased significantly in prostate cancer patients compared with control subjects (P < 0.05). Serum IL-18 levels were significantly higher in the metastatic patients compared with the nonmetastatic patients (P < 0.01). Patients with bone metastasis had higher serum IL-18 levels compared with patients with liver and lung metastasis (P < 0.01). When the patients were subdivided into groups, it was found that the serum IL-18 levels in patients with T2, T3 and T4 stage were significantly higher than that of T1 stage patients (P < 0.01). Pa- tients with IL-18 levels ≥ 316 pg/mL experienced a significantly lower survival rate compared with the patients who had IL-18 levels < 316 pg/mL after undergoing surgery (P < 0.05). The serum IL-18 level was identified as an independent postopera- tive prognostic factor in multivariate survival analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model (hazard ratio, 4.21; P = 0.02). Conclusion: The serum IL-18 level may be a useful marker in monitoring prostate cancer patients. IL-18 activity in prostate cancer patients with bone metastasis may be more valuable in the follow-up.