Physiopathology of IL-12 in human solid neoplasms: blood levels of IL-12 in early or advanced cancer patients, and their variations with surgery and immunotherapy

• Published in: Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents Vol. 12; no. 1-2; p. 38
• Main Authors: Lissoni, P, Mengo, S, Mandalà, M, Mauri, E, Brivio, F, Rovelli, F, Confalonieri, G, Longarini, R, Bonfante, A, Folli, D, Meregalli, S, Barni, S, Tancini, G, Giani, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy 01.01.1998
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - immunology; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - secondary; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - metabolism; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - surgery; Humans; Immunotherapy; Interleukin-12 - blood; Interleukin-12 - metabolism; Interleukin-2 - therapeutic use; Kidney Neoplasms - drug therapy; Kidney Neoplasms - immunology; Kidney Neoplasms - secondary; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasms - metabolism; Neoplasms - therapy; Predictive Value of Tests
• ISSN: 0393-974X

Experimental studies have shown that IL-12 plays an important role in the activation of the anticancer immune defenses. Unfortunately, at present the behavior of IL-12 secretion in human neoplasms remain to be established. In an attempt to draw some preliminary data about IL-12 secretion in human cancer, in the present study we have evaluated serum levels of IL-12 in a group of non-metastatic and metastatic solid tumor patients in relation to the survival time, and their changes in surgically treated cancer patients and in metastatic patients undergoing immunotherapy with IL-2. Mean serum levels of IL-12 were significantly higher metastatic patients (n = 40) than in those with locally limited solid neoplasm (n = 16). Moreover, within the metastatic group, the percent of 1-year survival was significantly higher in patients with abnormally elevated blood concentrations of IL-12 than in those with normal values. In the group of 10 patients surgically treated for gastrointestinal tract tumors, the surgical operation induced a significant decline in IL-12 mean serum levels. Finally, in a group of 23 metastatic renal cell cancer patients treated with IL-12 immunotherapy (6 million IU/day S.C. for 6 days/week for 4 weeks), the treatment was associated with a significant and progressive increase in IL-12 mean values. Moreover, serum mean levels of IL-12 observed in therapy in patients with response or stable disease were significantly higher than those found in progressing patients. This preliminary study seems to suggest that the evidence of high levels of IL-12 may have a favourable prognostic significance in solid tumor patients, either in baseline conditions or in response to IL-2 cancer immunotherapy.