NHL, serum marker of disease severity, IL- 10/INF-g
Abstract
Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) characterized by variable biologic behavior. The levels of some plasma protein may correlate with disease activity, so they could behave as prognostic factors. This study was conducted to evaluate the possible prognostic value of the (IL-10, IL-4 and IFN-gamma) and to assess their usefulness in the prediction of the outcome in childhood NHL patients. Sixty-six patients with NHL and 33, age and sex matched, apparently healthy children, were included. Blood sample were taken from each subject, and sera were used in measurement of IL-10, IL-4, and IFN-γ. The sera of all patients showed higher levels of IL-10, IL-4, and IFN-g than did the control group. The serum level of IL-10 revealed positive correlation with bad prognostic factors (male sex, less than 10 years old, high grad, high stage, nonresponding to chemotherapy, and non-surviving). Whereas, IFN- γ showed a negative correlation with bad prognostic factors (male sex, high grade and stage) and a positive with good prognostic factors (age, response to chemotherapy and the survival). IL-4 revealed no clear cut correlation, neither with good nor with bad prognostic factors. We conclude the existence of IL-10/IFN-g as serum marker for disease severity and predictor of response to chemotherapy in NHL, independent of and additive to the other prognostic factors.
