Serum and cystic fluid levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha in patients with epithelial ovarian tumors are correlated

At the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, patients have higher serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor-alpha (IL2R alpha) compared to patients with benign ovarian tumors or healthy blood donors (means of 750 vs. 469 and 390 U/ml, respectively, p <0.001), Serum levels were positively related to the extent of the disease, Disease progression was associated with rising serum levels of IL-2R alpha in 13 of the 15 patients but no advantage was recognized over serum CA 125 measurements when following the effect of therapy, We measured higher levels of IL-2R alpha in cystic fluids from epithelial ovarian cancers compared to benign ovarian tumors (means of 1,620 and 616 U/ml, respectively, p = 0.0002, In ovarian cancer patients, serum levels at diagnosis were positively correlated to cystic fluid levels (p <0.0001), The presence of high IL-2R alpha levels in cystic fluids from epithelial ovarian cancer may provide a biochemical signal of lymphocyte activation at the tissue level.