Inducibility of endogenous tumor necrosis factor by tumor cells from colorectal tumor patients at Dukes stage C as a novel prognostic factor following curative operation.

Abstract

It is well known that tumor cells secrete endogenous tumor necrosis factor (en-TNF) as a cytokine when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We, therefore, analyzed the biologic role of en-TNF secreted by tumor cells themselves to learn the prognosis of patients and the susceptibility of tumors to biologic response modifiers in particular. Patients with Dukes C colorectal tumors were studied after curative operation to determine the inducibility of en-TNF by their primary cultured cells in response to LPS. Irrespective of the known clinicopathologic factors of the tumors, en-TNF was produced in 21 of a total of 44 patients. The group of patients with clear en-TNF production showed a significantly lower incidence of recurrence and/or metastasis and a higher survival rate than the group without en-TNF production, suggesting a strong correlation between patient prognosis and inducibility of en-TNF. Inducibility of en-TNF by tumor cells themselves can be a novel prognostic factor for patients with colorectal tumor, especially of Dukes Stage C.