The aims of the present study were to analyze the validity of multiple cytokines in predicting epithelial ovarian cancer in women with a pelvic mass, and to evaluate the prognostic impact of those cytokines. Furthermore, we wanted to examine possible correlations between serum levels of HGF and other cytokines in patients with ovarian epithelial

cancer. Blood samples collected from a previously described patient group were applied [5]. The patient group consisted of women diagnosed with a pelvic mass appointed for laparotomy at the Gynecological oncology unit at St. Olavs Hospital in DAPT order Trondheim, Norway from October 15th 2001 to April 30th 2005. Blood samples were originally collected from 123 women. In the present study, serum was only available from 113 of these women, and of these 57 women had carcinoma, 23 borderline, and 33 benign ovarian tumors. An informed consent was obtained from all

participants. Data regarding age at diagnosis and body mass index (BMI) were registered in all cases. Histological type and grade, residual tumor volume at the end of primary surgery, stage of disease according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) guidelines [18], and follow-up learn more were registered for the carcinoma group. All histological slides were reviewed by one pathologist (S.H.T), and classified according to the World Health Organization guidelines by histological type and grade of differentiation [19]. All serum samples were collected preoperatively.

CA 125 was analyzed with immunological methods as part of preoperative routine serum analyses, and the results were extracted from the patients’ files. The sera were stored at –80 °C until analyses. No more than two freeze–thaw cycles were allowed for each sample. The serum levels of the following parameters were quantified using the Cytokine Human 25-plex panel (Biosource International, Inc., Camarillo, CA, USA): interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1 Ra, IL-2, IL-2R, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α, interferon (INF)α, INFγ, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP-1β, interferon gamma-induced protein (IP)-10, human monokine Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin induced by INFγ (HU-MIG), eotaxin, rantes, and MCP-1. The serum levels of adiponectin, resistin and PAI-I were analyzed by the Human Serum Adipokine panel A kit, and the serum levels of leptin were quantified using the Human Serum Adipokine panel B kit (Linco Research, Inc. St. Charles, MI, USA). The Luminex 100 system (Luminex Corporation, Austin, TX, USA) was applied for the analyses, according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS statistical software program 17.0. For differences in serum cytokine levels between carcinomas, borderline, and benign ovarian tumors, the Kruskal–Wallis test was used. Sub-group analyses were performed with the Mann–Whitney U test.