Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a tumor with immunogenic properties. Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) has a role in T cell activation and may be important for immune regulation in various conditions, including infections, transplantation rejection, autoimmune inflammatory states, and cancer. We investigated the prognostic value of the serum sIL-2R level in patients with metastatic RCC receiving IFN-alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeting therapy.
We monitored the serum level of sIL-2R over time and examined phosphorylated Akt expression by the primary tumor in 47 patients with metastatic clear cell RCC (ccRCC) undergoing cytoreductive nephrectomy followed by first-line adjuvant therapy with IFN-alpha plus sequential VEGF-targeting therapy as second- or third-line adjuvant therapy.
A preoperative increase of the serum level of sIL-2R was correlated with a higher preoperative serum level of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)-ligand 1 (PD-L1), increased expression of phosphorylated Akt by the primary tumor, and a worse response to IFN-alpha/sequential VEGF-targeting therapy, as well as being an independent prognostic factor for a shorter overall survival time by multivariate analysis. Over time, the serum sIL-2R level largely reflected the tumor response to therapy.
Monitoring the serum level of sIL-2R may help to predict the biological behavior of ccRCC, its response to IFN-alpha/sequential VEGF-targeting therapy, and the prognosis.
BMC cancer. 2017 May 25*** epublish ***
Akinori Nukui, Akinori Masuda, Hideyuki Abe, Kyoko Arai, Ken-Ichiro Yoshida, Takao Kamai
Department of Urology, Dokkyo Medical University, 880 Kitakobayashi Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan., Department of Urology, Dokkyo Medical University, 880 Kitakobayashi Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan. .