Local cytokine levels as prognostic factors for early relapse of non-muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma

The aim of our study is to assess the local cytokine levels as prognostic factors for early relapse in NMIBC patients. 75 patients with NMIBC were enrolled in the study: 51 with primary NMIBC and 24 with initially recurrent NMIBC, LG and HG tumors were diagnosed in each group. Patients with primary NMIBC were monitored during 9 months after treatment: TURB and chemotherapy (No. 6). During TURB samples of tumors were taken, supernatants were obtained and tissue cytokine levels were measured (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, TNFα, IFNγ, IL-8) by ELISA test. The results showed that in patients with primary NMIBC early relapses were diagnosed in 15 (46.8%) of LG tumors and in 11 (45%) of HG tumors matching that there was no difference depending upon tumor grade. In initially recurrent tumors of both LG and HG NMIBC the amounts of cytokines were maximal: in LG tumors they exceeded the primary ones from 7.1 (IFNγ) to 300 (IL-6) while in HG - from 2.0 (IL-10) to 9.7 (IL-6). The amounts of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IFNγ, IL-8 were higher in those LG primary tumors which relapsed in 6-9 months compared to the ones which didn't, though their levels were much lower than in initially manifested relapse (from 2.6 times for IFNy to 150 times for IL-6). A similar trend, though not for all the same cytokines, was observed in HG tumors: tissue levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-18 and TNFα were higher in tumors which relapsed in 6-9 months after treatment. The increase of 2 cytokines' levels were common for both LG and HG tumors (IL-6 and IL-10). This finding might be considered as a new prognostic factor of the early relapse. We conclude that relapse of LG and HG NMIBC is related to some immune mechanisms, namely to local hyperproduction of cytokines, especially IL-6 and IL-10, though IL-1β, IL-8, IFNγ could have an impact on LG and IL-18, TNFα — on HG tumors. Taking into account common signaling pathways of IL-6 and IL-10 like JAK/STAT, these transcription factors might be potential targets for new effective approaches to treatment.

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