Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a malignancy of mature B cells characterized by progressive lymphocytosis, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and cytopenia. The progressive accumulation of leukemic cells is a consequence of defective apoptosis and survival signals derived from the microenvironment.
OBJECTIVE:
Is to assess the levels of interleukin-8, 2-microglobulin and lactate dehydrogenase in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients and evaluate the prognostic value of interleukin-8 in correlation with 2-microglobulin, lactate dehydrogenase and Binet stage.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
A case-control study enrolled 40 newly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients attended at Oncology Teaching Hospital, Medical City with 40 adult healthy volunteers as a control group. Interleukin-8, 2-microglobulin and lactate dehydrogenase were investigated.
RESULTS:
There were statistically significant relationships between Binet staging and each of following: plasma level of interleukin-8, serum level of 2-microglobulin and lactate dehydrogenase and (P= 0.005, 0.005 and 0.023, respectively). There were significant correlations between 2-microglobulin and both interleukin-8 and lactate dehydrogenase level (P= 0.005, both) but correlation between interleukin-8 and lactate dehydrogenase was insignificant.
CONCLUSION:
Interleukin-8 level was positively correlated with 2-microglobulin, and higher plasma levels were associated with advancing Binet stage which makes it a reliable marker for patients at late clinical stage.