[Diagnostic and prognostic significance of serum soluble interleukin 2 receptor in children with malignancies].

UNLABELLED

The significance of sIL-2R as a marker of pediatric malignancies activity has not been evaluated so far. The aim of the study was to determine the clinical role of sIL-2R in diagnostics and prognosis in children with neoplasms.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 61 children (F/M: 28/33, mean age 7.9 years) diagnosed with acute leukemias (ALL - 22, ANLL - 3), malignant lymphomas (HD - 12, NHL - 6), nephroblastoma and soft tissue sarcomas (Tu Wilms -10, SA- 8). Control group consisted of 30 healthy children (F/M: 15/15, mean age 8.8 years). Serum sIL-2R was measured by ELISA (DAKO, the Netherlands).

RESULTS

Correlation of sIL-2R with age was stated thus the results have been presented as multiplication of the upper normal range (> 1 xN) determined for the patient's age at time of samples collection. Pre-treatment levels of sIL-2R in cancer patients were elevated as compared to controls, both regarding the whole oncological group and its subgroups: A (ALL + ANLL + NHL), B (HD) and C (Tu Wilms + SA) (p < 0.001). 92% of cancer patients presented with elevated levels of sIL-2R compared to 0% in healthy controls. sIL-2R levels were significantly higher in advanced stages of solid tumours and lymphomas and in children with HD and NHL with general symptoms and bulky disease presentation. The pre-treatment levels of sIL-2R proved to have a great predictive value for overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

sIL-2R determination may serve as a useful marker of diagnostics and prognosis in different histological types of pediatric malignancies.