Evaluation of Mediators Associated with the Inflammatory Response in Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy

Dis Markers. 2018 Feb 25:2018:9128128. doi: 10.1155/2018/9128128. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

A recent "hot topic" in prostate cancer radiotherapy is the observed association between acute/late rectal toxicity and the presence of abdominal surgery before radiotherapy. The exact mechanism is unclear. Our working hypothesis was that a previous surgery may influence plasma level of inflammatory molecules and this might result in enhanced radiosensitivity. We here present results on the feasibility of monitoring the expression of inflammatory molecules during radiotherapy. Plasma levels of a panel of soluble mediators associated with the inflammatory response were measured in prostate cancer patients undergoing radical radiotherapy. We measured 3 cytokines (IL-1b, IL-6, and TNF alpha), 2 chemokines (CCL2 and CXCL8), and the long pentraxin PTX3. 20 patients were enrolled in this feasibility evaluation. All patients were treated with IMRT at 78 Gy. 3/20 patients reported grade 2 acute rectal toxicity, while 4/20 were scored as grade 2 late toxicity. CCL2 was the most interesting marker showing significant increase during and after radiotherapy. CCL2 levels at radiotherapy end could be modelled using linear regression including basal CCL2, age, surgery, hypertension, and use of anticoagulants. The 4 patients with late toxicity had CCL2 values at radiotherapy end above the median value. This trial is registered with ISRCTN64979094.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • C-Reactive Protein / metabolism
  • Chemokine CCL2 / blood
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-1 / blood
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Interleukin-8 / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / blood*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Radiation Injuries / blood*
  • Radiation Injuries / etiology
  • Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / adverse effects*
  • Serum Amyloid P-Component / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Chemokine CCL2
  • Interleukin-1
  • Interleukin-6
  • Interleukin-8
  • Serum Amyloid P-Component
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • PTX3 protein
  • C-Reactive Protein