Using Cytokine Testing To Evaluate The Immune Function Of Colon Cancer Patients Treated By Chemotherapy

IntroductionInflammation cytokines play major roles in the development and progression of colon and other gastrointestinal tumors.The main aim of this study is to determine the expression of inflammatory cytokines IFN-?,IL-2,IL-12P40,IL-12P70,IL-1?,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,TNF-? in plasma of healthy individuals and colon cancer patients who benefit from chemotherapy or not.This application of cytokine expression can use to evaluate and analyse the immune function of those patients.Material and methodsIn this study,133 colon cancer patients(case group)and 71 healthy individuals(control group)were enrolled.The levels of nine inflammatory cytokines described above in plasma were measured using MILLIPLEX? MAP human cytokine magnetic bead panel.ResultsElevated expressions of IFN-?,IL-12P70,IL-1?,IL-6,IL-8,TNF-? and decreased expressions of IL-2 were observed in colon cancer patients compared to the healthy people.To those colon cancer patients who benefited from chemotherapy,significant downtrends of several cytokines such as IFN-?,IL-1?,IL-6,IL-8,and IL-10 were found when they accepted six chemotherapy cycles.As an antitumor cytokine,IL-2 levels rose on the contrary.To those colon cancer patients who could not benefit from chemotherapy,significant uptrends of IFN-?,IL-1?,IL-6,IL-8,and IL-10 were found when they accepted six chemotherapy cycles.IL-2 levels decreased on the contrary.We could not notice obvious changing trends of IL-12P40,IL-12P70 and TNF-?.ConclusionsCytokine profiles showed a remarkable difference between colon cancer patients and healthy people.Specific cytokines could represent biology features of advanced colon cancer in some degree.To those colon cancer patients who can benefit from chemotherapy,chemotherapy can correct the drafting from Th1 to Th2 to improve their immune function.