Clinical significance of measurements of changes of serum SE-cad, IL-2, SIL-2R and TNF-α levels after radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective: To study the changes of serum SE-cad, IL-2, SIL-2R and TNF-α levels after radiotherapy in 31 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: Serum IL-2, TNF-α (with RIA) and SE-cad. SIL-2R (with ELISA) levels were measured in 31 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma both before and 1 year after radiotherapy as well as in 30 controls. Results: Before radiotherapy, in the patients the serum IL-2 levels were significantly lower and serum SE-cad, IL-2, SIL-2R and TNF-α levels were significantly higher than those in the controls (P<0.01). One year after radiotherapy, those patients without recurrence (n=26) had their SE-cad, IL-2, SIL-2R and TNF-α levels returned to normal, but in patients with recurrences (n=4) the levels were about the same as those before treatment. Conclusion: Serum SE-cad, IL-2, SIL-2R and TNF-α levels were closely related to the diseases process and could be of prognostic values. (authors)