Abstract
Objectives The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of
treatment on IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 and neopterin levels in patients with
non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Methods Thirty patients with
NMIBC and 30 age-matched controls were included in the study.
Preoperative, postoperative first control (at two weeks after second
transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT)) and second control (at
the end of intravesical immunotherapy) blood samples were analyzed by
ELISA to determine IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 and neopterin levels. The mean
cytokine levels of the patients were statistically compared as well as
comparing the patients’ and controls’ levels. Results There were no
statistically significant differences between the mean IL-1, IL-6, IL-8
and neopterin levels of the patient and control group before initial
TURBT. In the patient group, there were no statistically significant
differences in the IL-6 and IL-8 levels after both TURBT and
intravesical BCG therapy. The mean of preoperative IL-1 and neopterin
levels significantly decrease after TURBT (p<0.05=). However
this reduction do not continue after intravesical BCG instillations.
Conclusions The finding of this study showed that the IL-1, IL-6, IL-8
and neopterin levels of the patients with NMIBC were similar to the
levels of healthy controls. The IL-1 and neopterin levels significantly
decreased after TURBT. But this reductions did not continue after
intravesical BCG instillation. These findings demonstrate that IL-1 and
neopterin levels decrease after TURBT due to the reduction of tumor
weight or tumor removal.