Cytokine levels in the serum of patients with Head Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) during therapy may indicate a timeframe for immunotherapy

Introduction:

Cytokines play an important role in the communication between immune cells and could therefore give information about the right time to start immunotherapy. The aim of this study was to detect the cytokine levels of patients diagnosed with HNSCC before, during and after therapy in order to detect a potential timeframe for immunotherapy.

Methods:

In a prospective, non-interventional study, blood samples from 22 patients with HNSCC were taken after diagnosis on 12 defined time points before, during and every 3 months after completion of radiochemotherapy (RCT) until 12 months after RCT termination in order to control cytokine levels. Cytokine serum concentrations of 17 different cytokines and of the damage associated molecular pattern HMGB1 were measured by fluorescent bead array and ELISA. 16 healthy donors served as a control group.

Results:

Serum cytokine concentrations were significantly elevated in HNSCC patients compared to healthy controls. Additionally, serum concentrations of soluble Fas receptor were significantly elevated during RCT whereas decreased perforin levels were detected after termination of RCT.

Conclusion:

Serum concentrations of most cytokines did not change significantly during therapy and follow up. The elevation of sFas receptor could be due to RCT inducing inflammation. The decreased concentration of perforin could be due to exhaustion of the immune system.

Publication History

Publication Date:
18 April 2018 (online)