gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Cytokines are involved into pathogenesis of different gynecological malignancies. There are limited data in ovarian cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the level of IL-1 a, IL-1b, IL-1 RA and IL-10 in serum and ascites from patients with ovarian cancer and to determine whether levels of these cytokines in serum and ascites may influence the prognostic of ovarian cancer.

Methods: In a prospective study from 2001 to 2004, 136 women with OC and 70 women with benign gynaecological diseases (CG) were enrolled. IL-1 a, IL-1 b, IL-1RA and IL-10 levels were analysed in serum and ascites with ELISA technique. The samples were obtained from the Tumorbank Ovarian Cancer (TOC).

Results: The concentrations of IL-1 b, IL-1 RA and IL-10 in ascites were significantly increased in patients with OC in comparison to CG, also the concentration of IL-1 RA and IL-10 in serum in OC vs. CG.

Survival analysis showed that patients with a higher expression of IL-1 RA in ascites have a reduced overall survival (p=0.01) and progression-free survival (p=0.007). Also a higher expression of IL-1 b in serum (p=0.004) and ascites (p=0.05) reduce significantly the progression-free survival. Due to the fact that levels of IL-10 are significantly higher in ascites and serum of patients with ovarian cancer than in those of the control group, and to the association between high IL-10 levels in ascites and serum and histological type of the tumor, levels in the peritoneal cavity and grading, IL-10 may play an important immunosuppressive role in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer. In multivariate analysis, expression of IL-1 RA in ascites was an independent prognostic factor for poor survival (relative risk, 0.310; 95% CI, 0.139-0.693).

Based on our results, IL-1 RA may represent a biomarker of poor prognosis in ovarian cancer.