Serum Cytokine Level Fluctuations in Chemotherapy-induced Myelosuppression

We have reported that serum granulocyte colony-stimulating factor(G-CSF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels rise in patients withchemotherapy-induced myelosuppression. The aim of the presentstudy was to determine whether other cytokines that functionat different hematopoietic stages also fluctuate during chemotherapy-inducedmyelosuppression and whether the extent of cytokine level fluctuationscorrelate with myelosuppression severity. Fifteen patients participatedin the study. Serum levels of stem cell factor (SCF), interleukin(IL)-1, IL-6, IL-3, granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) andG-CSF were analyzed before chemotherapy and during the myelosuppressivestage and correlations between cytokine levels and myelosuppressionseverity were examined. The results showed that both serum G-CSFand IL-6 levels rose in patients with chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression.The prechemotherapy serum G-CSF and IL-6 levels correlated wellwith their respective elevated levels during the myelosuppressivestage. The myelosuppression severity also correlated well withthe extent of serum G-CSF level elevation. The serum IL-6 andG-CSF levels during the myelosuppressive stage correlated significantly.Serum SCF levels did not fluctuate significantly during myelosuppression,and IL-1, IL-3 and GM-CSF were rarely detected in serum evenafter chemotherapy. In the present study, the roles of IL-1,SCF, IL-3 and GM-CSF chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression werenot clear.