False positivity of the Aspergillus galactomannan Platelia ELISA because of piperacillin/tazobactam treatment: does it represent a clinical problem?

OBJECTIVES: False-positive results of the galactomannan (GM) ELISA caused by concurrent administration of piperacillin/tazobactam have been reported in patients with febrile neutropenia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study investigated different sampling times in 30 patients receiving piperacillin/tazobactam for febrile neutropenia. RESULTS: Prior to the first piperacillin/tazobactam infusion, a median GM index of 0.2 [interquartile range (IQR) 0.1-0.3] was noted; in two patients (7%) the index was 0.5. Immediately after piperacillin/tazobactam infusion, the median index increased to 0.3 (IQR 0.2-0.4, P = 0.002) leading to 21% (7/30) false-positive results, if > or = 0.5 is assumed as the cut-off level. GM indices before the next piperacillin/tazobactam infusion were not increased (median 0.2, IQR 0.2-0.35, P > 0.05), but 10% (3/30) were still > or = 0.5. With a cut-off level of > 0.7, no false-positive results were noted at any sampling time point. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the clinical relevance of false-positive GM results during piperacillin/tazobactam treatment is small if samples are collected prior to infusion and if a cut-off level of > 0.7 is used.

Detection of human aspartyl (asparaginyl) beta-hydroxylase and homeobox B7 mRNA in brush cytology specimens from patients with bile duct cancer.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The diagnosis of bile duct cancer is hampered by the low sensitivity of intraductal brush cytology and forceps biopsy. In the present study real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays for the detection of human aspartyl (asparaginyl) beta-hydroxylase (HAAH) and homeobox B7 (HoxB7) mRNA from intraductal brush cytology specimens were established. Both markers are overexpressed in biliary cancer cell lines and possibly involved in the pathogenesis of bile duct cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: RT-PCR assays were validated for detection limit, in-assay variability, and inter-assay variability. Target gene expression was determined in brush cytology specimens from 16 patients with biliary strictures (11 with histologically proven cholangiocarcinomas and five with benign biliary strictures). RESULTS: The assay was quick (about 3 h), highly sensitive (with detection limits between 3 and 106 molecules), and reproducible (maximum in-assay variability 10.3 %, maximum inter-assay variability 11.8 %). The sensitivity of routine brush cytology alone was 36 % (four of 11 cases), with 100 % specificity. A combination with detection of HoxB7 and HAAH mRNA increased the overall diagnostic sensitivity to 82 %. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of these markers using the RT-PCR assays from brush cytology specimens described here may prove to be a useful additional tool for the diagnosis of bile duct carcinoma.

Increased VEGF levels induced by anti-VEGF treatment are independent of tumor burden in colorectal carcinomas in mice.

Inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by gene transfer techniques was effectively applied to control experimental tumor growth, whereas effects on systemic VEGF levels had not been investigated. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of VEGF inhibition by adenoviral-mediated gene delivery of a dominant-negative soluble fragment of FLK-1 (sFlk-1) on systemic VEGF levels, organ-specific VEGF-RNA expression and antitumor efficacy in a murine colorectal cancer (CRC) tumor model. Vector function of AdsFlk-1 was shown by Western blot analysis and transgene expression was documented over a time period of 42 days in the serum of treated mice. Although cell supernatant of CT26 cells contained considerable levels of VEGF, systemic VEGF levels in the serum of tumor-bearing mice remained unaffected. Interestingly, mice that were systemically treated with AdsFlk-1 showed a strong upraise of circulating VEGF, whereas VEGF remained at background levels in the control. Vascular endothelial growth factor was increased not only in tumor bearing but also in healthy, tumor-free mice. Vascular endothelial growth factor determination in liver tissue homogenates showed a 16.5-fold upraise in AdsFlk-1-treated animals as compared to the AdLacZ control. Consecutively, systemic small interfering RNA injection targeted against VEGF reverted elevated VEGF levels almost back to normal levels. In spite of elevated VEGF levels, AdsFlk-1 administration showed significant antitumor effects in a subcutaneous metastatic CRC tumor model. There was no significant correlation between antitumour treatment response and VEGF levels in this model. Collectively, we conclude that the systemic administration of AdsFlk-1 had significant inhibitory effects on metastatic CRC tumor growth in spite of elevated systemic VEGF levels and that VEGF serum concentrations did not correlate to tumor burden and antitumor treatment response in this model.

[Adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy of colorectal cancer in Germany outside controlled trials]. / Adjuvante und palliative Chemotherapie des kolorektalen Karzinoms in Deutschland ausserhalb kontrollierter Studien.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Colorectal cancer is the second most common malignant tumour in Germany with an unfavorable prognosis especially in a locally advanced or metastasizing stage. Although adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy significantly improve 5-year survival, consensus recommendations have in the past been inadequately transformed into clinical practice. It was the aim of this study to analyse the implementation of existing guidelines in a cohort from a defined area of Germany. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a multicentre study done between January 2000 and January 2002, tumour stage, primary care, adjuvant or palliative chemotherapy and follow-up of 444 patients (216 males, 228 females) with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer were recorded. RESULTS: 301 patients had colonic and 143 patients rectal cancer. The median age at diagnosis was 65 11.3 years. 36 of 96 (38%) patients with stage II colon cancer and 66 of 87 (76%) with stage III disease received adjuvant chemotherapy. 8 of 51 (16%) patients with rectal cancer stage II and 22 of 38 (58%) patients with stage III underwent adjuvant radio- and chemotherapy. The 68 of 84 (81%) patients with stage IV CRC who received palliative chemotherapy were given almost exclusively 5-FU monotherapy. Initial or sequential combination chemotherapy with oxaliplatin or irinotecan were performed in only 24 of 84 (29%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Stage III colon cancer was predominantly treated according to the existing standard guidelines. In contrast combined radio- and chemotherapy for rectal cancer stage II and III was only performed in one third of the patients, another third receiving neither adjuvant radiation nor chemotherapy. Initial combined or sequential combined chemotherapy for metastasizing colorectal cancer was rarely performed.

Coculture with dendritic cells promotes proliferation but not cytotoxic activity of gamma/delta T cells.

T cells bearing the gamma9/delta2 T cell receptor (TCR) have recently raised interest as non-MHC restricted effector cells against multiple myeloma. They are described to be stimulated by phosphoantigens without the need of antigen presenting cells. However, in the past a positive effect of cells of the monocyte lineage on activation of gamma/delta T cells has been shown. Monocyte derived dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigen presenting cells widely investigated as stimulators of alpha/beta T cells. But only little is known about the interaction of gamma/delta T cells and monocyte derived DC. Here, we investigated the effect of coculture of mature DC unpulsed or pulsed with ibandronate on the proliferation and cytotoxic activity of isolated gamma/delta T cells. After coculturing monocyte derived DC with isolated gamma/delta T cells, proliferation of gamma/delta T cells was enhanced as determined by the (3)H thymidine uptake assay. Also, IFN-gamma secretion was increased after coculture with DC. As DC are well known to induce activation of alpha/beta T cells we investigated whether the cytotoxic activity of gamma/delta T cells could be increased by coculture with DC. We found no difference in cytotoxic activity of gamma/delta T cells alone or cocultured with unpulsed or pulsed mature DC. Also, sensitizing of myeloma cells by addition of ibandronate could not increase lysis by gamma/delta T cells. In conclusion, monocyte derived DC are capable of stimulating proliferation and secretion of IFN-gamma of gamma/delta T cells but do not exert an effect on cytotoxic activity of gamma/delta T cells against myeloma cells.

Prognostic value of CA 19-9 levels in patients with inoperable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas treated with gemcitabine.

Serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) has been identified as a useful tumour marker for diagnosis of exocrine pancreatic carcinoma, but its value for evaluating the response to chemotherapy with gemcitabine is not clear. Tumour regression in pancreatic carcinoma is hard to determine due to massive desmoplastic tissue. Furthermore, objective tumour response does not automatically transcribe into better survival. Therefore, clinical benefit response, a composed parameter consisting of factors like performance status, pain, and body weight was integrated in evaluating tumour response. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the usefulness of serial CA 19-9 measurements as a biochemical response marker and an outcome prognostic parameter in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer receiving gemcitabine treatment. A total of 46 consecutive patients (median age 66 years) suffering from histologically proven locally advanced or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the exocrine pancreas were analysed. Gemcitabine was applied for a median of 23 courses (range 6-76). Two patients achieved an objective complete remission, five an objective partial remission (overall response, OR=15.2%), while objective stable disease was documented in 19 and objective progressive disease in 20 patients. Patients with a decrease of >20% of the baseline CA 19-9 level after 8 weeks of chemotherapy had a significantly better median survival than patients with a rise or a decline <20%. The response of CA 19-9 >20% during chemotherapy was the only independent predictor of survival in a multivariate analyses. In contrast, neither objective tumour response nor clinical benefit response showed this level of significance. In conclusion, kinetics of CA19-9 serum concentration serves as an early indicator of response to gemcitabine chemotherapy in advanced pancreatic cancer.

Piperacillin-tazobactam is more effective than ceftriaxone plus gentamicin in febrile neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies: a randomized comparison.

GOALS: Efficacy and costs of empirical antibacterial therapy in febrile neutropenic patients are important issues. Several strategies have been reported to be similarly effective: monotherapy with cefepime, ceftazidime or a carbapenem or duotherapy with an antipseudomonal beta-lactam antibiotic or ceftriaxone in combination with an aminoglycoside. Piperacillin-tazobactam monotherapy is promising, but its role in this setting still has to be defined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of 212 consecutive febrile episodes in 130 neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies randomized to receive either piperacillin-tazobactam (4.5 g every 8 h; group A) or ceftriaxone (2 g once daily plus gentamicin 5 mg/kg once daily; group B), 183 episodes (98 group A, 85 group B) were evaluable for response. RESULTS: Defervescence within 72 h without modification of the antibiotic therapy was achieved in 56/98 episodes (57.1%) in group A and in 30/85 (35.3%) in group B (P=0.0047). If fever persisted, teicoplanin plus gentamicin (group A) or teicoplanin plus ciprofloxacin (group B) were added. All patients still febrile then received meropenem, teicoplanin and amphotericin B. With these modifications of antibiotic therapy, 89.8% of patients in group A had responded at 21 days but only 71.8% in group B (P=0.005). The mean total antibiotic drug cost in group A was only 39.4% of that in group B (euro 445 versus euro 1129; P=0.010). CONCLUSION: Piperacillin-tazobactam monotherapy is significantly more effective and cost-efficient than ceftriaxone plus gentamicin as first-line therapy in febrile neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies.

Evaluation of an ultrasound-guided technique for central venous access via the internal jugular vein in 493 patients.

Ultrasound guidance for percutaneous puncture of the internal jugular vein provides many advantages over the classic landmark-guided technique, particularly in complicated cases (e.g. thrombocytopenia, obesity, dyspnea). The present prospective investigation involved analysis of 493 punctures and provides patient- and operator-dependent variables with respect to the impact on puncture success and the complication rate. These 493 punctures of the internal jugular vein were performed using identical puncturing equipment and a standardized two-operator catheterization technique and were prospectively recorded on the hematology-oncology ward of a university hospital. Alongside success rates, the frequency and nature of complications, patient-inherent risk variables (obesity, thrombocytopenia, patient cooperation, vein diameter, etc.) and the individual experience of the physician performing the puncture and ultrasound were analyzed with respect to possible impact on success and complication rate. Internal jugular vein cannulation was successful in 94.5% of all patients. Catheter placement was successful at the first attempt in 87.6% of cases. Arterial fail punctures occurred in 1.4% of the patients and local hematoma in a further 4.3%. Among the patient-dependent variables, only poor patient compliance and a maximum vein diameter smaller than 7 mm showed a negative influence on the success rate. The experience of the physician carrying out the puncture influenced neither the success rate nor the complication rate. In contrast, both failure and complication rates were significantly lower when the physician guiding the sonographic probe was familiar with the method. Ultrasound-guided cannulation of the internal jugular vein provides safe central venous access with high success rates and low complication rates. Difficulties due to patient-inherent risk factors (e.g. thrombocytopenia, obesity, dyspnea) can be managed well using ultrasonographic guidance. The success rate achieved and the frequency of complications are decisively influenced not by the experience of the physician performing the puncture, but by the experience of the physician acting as sonographer.

Weekly docetaxel in patients with pretreated metastatic breast cancer: a phase II trial.

Docetaxel has consistently demonstrated its high activity as an antineoplastic agent in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. However, 90% of patients receiving the recommended dose of 100 mg/m2 every 3 weeks will develop grade 3 or 4 neutropenia. Recent data suggest that the safety profile of a weekly docetaxel regimen compared favorably with the standard 3-week schedule. Thus, we initiated a phase II study to assess the efficacy and toxicity of weekly docetaxel in pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer. Twenty patients with advanced, anthra-cycline-refractory breast cancer were included in this phase II trial. Docetaxel was administered at a starting dose of 40 mg/m2, repeated once a week for 3 consecutive weeks followed by a 1-week rest period (1 cycle). Patients were evaluated for tumor response every 8 weeks (after every other cycle). Therapy was continued for a maximum of six courses in patients showing tumor response or stable disease. Twenty patients received a total of 204 weekly infusions of docetaxel. The mean number of treatments was 10.2 (range 1-18). Eighteen patients were assessable for response. Five patients achieved a partial response and six patients showed either stable disease or a minor response. Seven patients had disease progression. The median survival was 7.8 months. Grade 3/4 leukopenia occurred in two patients. No other grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicities were observed. The following grade 3/4 non-hematologic toxicities were seen: nausea/vomiting (one patient), infection (one patient), mucositis (two patients) and diarrhea (one patient). Three patients withdrew from the study due to dose-limiting toxicities (one due to severe neutropenia and two due to mucositis). We conclude that administration of docetaxel at a dose of 40 mg/m2 was effective and well tolerated even in heavily pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer. This regimen is associated with only mild myelosuppression.

Acute transient encephalopathy after paclitaxel infusion: report of three cases.

Paclitaxel (Taxol) is a diterpene plant product and antineoplastic agent that promotes the assembly of microtubules as well as stabilizing their formation by preventing depolymerization. Myelosuppression was found to be dose-limiting, but peripheral neurotoxicity is also a well known side-effect. Central nervous system toxicity is rare, probably because paclitaxel does not cross the blood-brain barrier. We observed three patients who presented with acute encephalopathy within 6 h after infusion of paclitaxel at normal doses. All patients had received prior whole brain irradiation (WBI) and one patient had prior brain metastasectomy. Computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed no evidence of cerebral metastases. An effect from other organ toxicities was excluded in all patients. All recovered spontaneously within 4-6 h. From this we can conclude that paclitaxel can cause severe acute transient encephalopathy, which may occur more frequently after prior WBI and/or surgery due to alteration of small vessel function.

Low frequency of enteric infections by Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia and Campylobacter in patients with acute leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Several authors found that isolation of Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia and Campylobacter spp. (SSYC) from stool cultures after the 3rd day of hospitalization is a rare event. The significance of enteric infections caused by these pathogens has not been systematically investigated in severely immunosuppressed patients with acute leukemia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We screened all patients treated on the leukemia ward of a university medical center. A total of 1,185 stool cultures from 371 episodes of diarrhea, mostly following myelosuppressive chemotherapy, were examined for the complete range of classic bacterial enteric pathogens (i.e. SSYC). RESULTS: Only three (0.25%) cultures from one patient were positive for Salmonella enteritidis. This patient suffered from cholangitis. S. enteritidis could also be detected by liver biopsy. Other infections by classic enteric pathogens were not observed. CONCLUSION: Symptomatic infections by classic bacterial enteric pathogens in hospitalized patients with acute leukemia are very rare. Stool cultures for these pathogens cannot be recommended as a routine test in uncomplicated diarrhea occurring after the 3rd hospital day.

Severe abdominal infections in neutropenic patients.

Abdominal infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in neutropenic patients. We present a retrospective series of 16 patients, mostly with acute leukemia, who developed severe abdominal infections during chemotherapy-induced neutropenia between 1991 and 1997. The frequency among patients with acute leukemia was 2.35% (13 of 553). Thirteen patients presented with enterocolitis and 3 patients presented with cholecystitis. Eight patients died. Bacteremia was present in 6 patients, 4 patients suffered from proven or strongly suspected fungal infections, and 1 patient suffered from cytomegalovirus infection. Early surgical management was required in a patient with intestinal obstruction, whereas other patients could be managed conservatively. Two patients with acute cholecystitis were treated with antibiotics until the end of neutropenia and then were resected. Severe abdominal injections in neutropenic patients, which are often fatal, were caused by nonbacterial microorganisms in one-fourth of the cases and could be managed conservatively in most instances.

Current clinical and laboratory strategies to augment the efficacy of immunotherapy in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is still an incurable, lethal disease for the vast majority of patients. Myeloablative chemotherapy combined with autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation only partially met the great expectations initially set in its efficacy and is associated with a high level of toxicity. However, the considerable progress in understanding the biology of multiple myeloma led to the development of promising molecular therapies. Numerous immunotherapy-based approaches are currently evaluated in clinical trials. Moreover, remarkable progress has been achieved in gene therapy during the last decade, and the repertoire of gene transfer techniques can be expected to improve continuously. Gene transfer is increasingly applied in biological therapies in multiple myeloma. This article reviews the currently applied clinical and laboratory strategies to augment the efficacy of immunotherapy in multiple myeloma and aims to define its perspectives in multimodality treatment of multiple myeloma.

Clostridium difficile infection in patients with neutropenia.

Clostridium difficile is the most important cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea. The importance of C. difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been poorly investigated in patients with neutropenia who have hematologic malignancies. A retrospective chart review of all patients treated in the leukemia ward of a university medical center during 1991-2000 determined that 875 courses of myelosuppressive chemotherapy were administered. CDAD occurred in 7.0% of all cycles. In 8.2% of the patients, severe enterocolitis developed. Two patients died while they had diarrhea. However, in no patient was C. difficile infection clinically considered to be the primary cause of death. The response rate to oral metronidazole was 90.9%. These data indicate that C. difficile infection is not rare and should be suspected whenever a hospitalized patient with neutropenia develops diarrhea. Oral metronidazole can be recommended as initial drug of choice for treatment of patients with neutropenia who have hematologic malignancies and CDAD.

A novel minimal-size vector (MIDGE) improves transgene expression in colon carcinoma cells and avoids transfection of undesired DNA.

Viral and plasmid vectors may cause unwanted immunological side effects resulting from the expression of nontherapeutic genes contained in their sequence. Furthermore, replication-defective viral vectors carry the potential risk of recombination with wild-type viruses or activation of oncogenes. A new vector type for minimalistic, immunologically defined gene expression (MIDGE) may overcome these problems. MIDGE is a minimal-size gene transfer unit containing the expression cassette, including promoter, gene, and RNA-stabilizing sequence, flanked by two short hairpin oligonucleotide sequences. The resulting vector is a small, linear, covalently closed, dumbbell-shaped molecule. DNA not encoding the desired gene is reduced to a minimum. Here, we transfected colon carcinoma cell lines using cationic lipid, cationic polymer, and electroporation with several MIDGE vectors and corresponding plasmids containing transgenes encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and human interleukin-2 (hIL-2). Transfection efficiency as measured qualitatively and quantitatively with eGFP was found to be comparable for both vector types. However, hIL-2 secretion and eGFP expression were approximately two- to fourfold higher in most cells transfected with these transgenes using MIDGE vectors compared to the plasmid control. This report demonstrates the advantages of this new vector type and its prospects for ex vivo gene therapy studies.

Resistance of pancreatic carcinoma cells is reversed by coculturing NK-like T cells with dendritic cells pulsed with tumor-derived RNA and CA 19-9.

Immunization with defined tumor antigens is limited to the small number of cancers in which specific tumor antigens have been defined but insufficient tumor material is available to produce an antitumor vaccine. In this study, we investigated whether pulsing dendritic cells (DC) using a liposomal transfer technique with a pancreatic tumor cell line-derived RNA can effectively activate NK-like T cells and tumor immunity. Pulsed DC were cocultured with NK-like T cells, i.e., CD3+CD56+ cells, as immunologic effector cells. Target cells resistant to NK-like T-cell-mediated lysis were used. Total tumor-derived RNA transfected into DC was found to completely reverse tumor cell resistance. Total tumor RNA transfection (30 microg) was found to be superior to poly(A)(+) RNA transfection (5 microg) in inducing NK-like T lymphocytes. Interestingly, additional pulsing of DC with the CA 19-9 peptide in a CA 19-9-positive cell line further increased the sensitivity of pancreas carcinoma cells to NK-like T cells. Treatment of tumor RNA with RNase completely blocked the effect of RNA-transfected DC on NK-like T cells, suggesting that intact tumor-derived RNA is needed for reversal of tumor cell resistance. In conclusion, coculture of NK-like T cells with DC transfected with pancreatic tumor cell line-derived RNA reverses pancreatic tumor cell resistance by directly triggering NK-like T lymphocytes.

Successful induction and consolidation therapy of acute myeloid leukaemia in a renal allograft recipient.

Immunosuppressed organ transplant recipients have a markedly increased risk of neoplasia. Among these malignancies acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is rare. However, until now no case of successful chemotherapy has been reported. We present a 39-year-old male patient who developed AML (FAB M4 Eo) 4 years after renal transplantation and achieved a stable complete remission after induction therapy with standard dose cytarabine and daunorubicin. Remission duration is now 11 months. At present the transplant is functioning well after two additional courses of consolidation chemotherapy with high-dose cytarabine combined with mitoxantrone and idarubicine respectively. Cyclosporin A was given during all cycles of chemotherapy. We conclude that intensive chemotherapy in patients with AML following renal transplantation in good performance status is feasible.

Oral idarubicin, dexamethasone and vincristine (VID) in the treatment of multiple myeloma.

In order to replace the central venous line necessary for continuous infusion of vincristine and doxorubicin with high-dose dexamethasone (VAD) and to avoid hospitalization, we evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of oral idarubicin, vincristine and dexamethasone (VID) in patients with multiple myeloma. Vincristine (1.6 mg/m2, max 2 mg) was given as a bolus injection on day 1. Idarubicin was given in capsules 10 mg/m2/day for days 1-4 with an intraindividual dose escalation, 40 mg dexamethasone were given on days 1-4, 9-12, 17-20. Treatment cycles were repeated every 28 days. At this interim analysis, 53 patients have been entered into the ongoing trial; 46 patients are evaluable for toxicity. The median age was 60 years (interquartile range, 52-65). 46% were primary or secondary refractory, 20% had previously been treated with VAD and 30% had previously untreated disease, 4% had two or more relapses. Four patients died within 2 months from entry and were considered as early deaths (8.7%). 45% of the 42 patients evaluable for efficacy achieved a partial remission and 26% a minor remission. The median reduction of the M-component was 43% (interquartile range, 25-64%). VID is an effective and convenient alternative to VAD even in relapsed or refractory patients.

Serum cytokine levels correlate with clinical parameters in Hodgkin's disease.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin's disease. Enhanced expression of various cytokines has been demonstrated in cell lines and biopsy specimens from patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this investigation 14 cytokines were analysed by ELISA in sera of a large panel of patients with HD and compared with clinical and serological parameters. RESULTS: Increased levels of soluble IL-2 receptors (sIL-2R), IL-6, IL-7, IL-8 and G-CSF, were found in many patients with HD as opposed to healthy individuals. In contrast, IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, TNF alpha, TNF beta and GM-CSF were rarely detectable. Serum concentrations of sIL-2R, IL-6 and IL-7 were significantly correlated with advanced stage of HD and, together with G-CSF levels, with the presence of B-symptoms. In addition, elevated cytokines correlated with several laboratory parameters. In the majority of patients the serum levels of cytokines decreased after therapy. However, elevated cytokine levels persisted in some patients in complete remission. Patients with normal IL-6 levels had better event-free survivals than patients with elevated IL-6 levels but this difference has not reached significance. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that enhanced levels of sIL-2R, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8 and G-CSF, are correlated with disease activity and clinical symptoms in HD.