Serum cytokines in astrocytic brain tumors: a prospective study

Gliomas are the most aggressive form of brain tumors responsible for the majority of brain cancer related deaths. Interleukin (IL)-6, 10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α are tumor specific proteins that are expressed in gliomas. This study aims to estimate the pre- and postoperative levels of serum markers of these cytokines to evaluate any bearing with its grade and volume.

Prospective analysis of 80 patients of newly-diagnosed gliomas of any grade was carried out. Pre- and postoperative blood samples day one, one month and at 3rd month of surgery was taken and levels of IL-6, 10 and TNF- α measured and matched with 20 healthy controls.

Of the 80 patients, 3 patients had pilocytic astrocytoma, 4 had ganglioglioma, 9 had oligodendroglioma, 17 had diffuse astrocytoma, 5 had anaplastic astrocytoma while 43 had glioblastoma. Preoperative levels of IL-6 and TNF- α was found to be markedly raised in high grade gliomas. Positive correlation was seen between IL-6 with the grade of tumor and high-grade tumors were seen to be more significantly correlated with IL-6. However, preoperative IL-10 in both low and high grade of gliomas did not show any correlation with the volume and grade of tumor.

High level of IL-6 and TNF-α in peripheral blood in patients of high-grade gliomas provides clue to the invasiveness of the disease which can be useful for understanding the premorbid development of tumor and perhaps extrapolating to ongoing tumor response to treatment.