Identification of the peripheral blood levels of interleukin-12, interleukin-10, and transforming growth factor-β in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the biology of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to develop effective novel treatment modalities. Methods. Serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) were evaluated in 50 patients with laryngeal SCC and 15 controls. Results were compared according to tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) classification criteria. Results. IL-12 and TGF-beta levels were not different between the early-and late-stage patients and controls. Tumor classification or nodal involvement was not associated with IL-12 and TGF-beta levels. Patients with laryngeal SCC had significantly more detectable serum IL-10 levels than those of controls, given that IL-10 could be detected in only 1 early-stage and 9 late-stage patients, but not in the control group (p = .003). IL-10 was increasingly detectable with advanced T classification (p = .009) and nodal involvement (p = .008). Conclusions. Serum IL-12 or TGF-beta levels were not affected with disease activity and classification; however, serum IL-10 levels were correlated with both parameters. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 34: 393-397, 2012