The Concentration of IL-8 and VEGF in Cervicovaginal Washing Fluid and Sera with Cervical Cancer: Case-Control Study

Kim, Yong Beom; Jeon, Hye Won; Seo, Sang Soo; Kim, Jae Weon; Park, Noh Hyun; Song, Yong Sang; Kang, Soon Beom; Lee, Hyo Pyo

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of IL-8 and VEGF in serum and cervicovaginal washing fluid and to investigate whether local production of IL-8 and VEGF could be found.
METHODS
Cervicovaginal washing fluid and sera were obtained from 14 patients with invasive cervical cancer and 19 patients with other benign disease who showed normal Pap smear result. The level of IL-8 and VEGF was determined by ELISA (PharMingenTM, San Diego, CA, USA).
RESULTS
The mean concentration of cervicovaginal washing fluid IL-8 was 2181.7 pg/ml (+/-2235.7) in case group and 899.0 pg/ml (+/-1192.0) in control group, and the mean concentration of serum IL-8 was 230.6 pg/ml (+/-214.1) and 103.5 pg/ml (+/-138.5) respectively. With VEGF, the mean concentraiton of cervicovaginal washing fluid was 216.9 pg/ml (+/-125.4) in case group and 102.9 pg/ml (+/-138.1) in control group and of serum was 31.2 pg/ml (+/-15.6) and 17.7 pg/ml (+/-17.3) respectively. There was a significant correlation between IL-8 and VEGF in control group (spearman P=0.001 (0.858), 0.001 (0.839). 95% CI, cervicovaginal washing fluid, serum) as well as in case group (spearman P=0.001 (0.905), 0.041 (0.462). 95% CI).
CONCLUSION
The concentration of IL-8 and VEGF from both serum and cervicovaginal washing fluid was significantly increased in case group than in control group. There seems to be a local production of IL-8 and VEGF in cervicovaginal tissue from the results of a significant correlation between IL-8 and VEGF in control group as well as in case group and a significant increase of the median concentration of IL-8 and VEGF in cervicovaginal washing fluid than in serum.