BACKGROUNDTo explore the clinical significance of detection of T helper cell (Th1 and Th2) in patients with lung cancer and to provide a foundation for immunological treatment.

METHODSRIA and ELISA were used to detect the level of serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-a in 86 patients with lung cancer, 59 patients with benign pulmonary diseases and 45 healthy people. IL-2 and TNF-a were used to represent cytokines of Th1 type, and IL-4, IL-6 and IL-8 to represent cytokines of Th2 type.

RESULTSThe level of IL-2 [(24.6±12.0) μg/L]in cancer group was significantly lower than that in benign group [(71.1±25.4) μg/L] ( t =3.82, P < 0.01) and normal group [(69.3±19.5) μg/L]( t=2.76, P < 0.01), the level of IL-6 in cancer group [(0.13±0.04) μg/L] was significantly lower than that in normal group [(0.23±0.05) μg/L]( t= 3.39 , P < 0.01), but the levels of IL-4 [(254.2±78.0) μg/L], IL-8 [(0.49±0.16) μg/L], and TNF-a [( 2.76 ±1.12) μg/L] in cancer group were significantly higher than those in benign group [(63.6±18.6) μg/L, ( 0.36 ±0.18) μg/L, (0.96±0.20) μg/L respectively] and those in normal group [(60.9±19.6) μg/L, ( 0.35 ±0.07) μg/L, (0.93±0.19) μg/L respectively] ( t =4.10, 4.89, 3.76 respectively, all P < 0.01). No significant difference of IL-2, IL-4, IL-8 and TNF-a level was observed between benign group and normal group (all P > 0.05). The level of IL-6 in cancer group was similar to that in benign group [(0.15±0.04) μg/L] ( P > 0.05 ). The level of IL-6 in benign group was significantly lower than that in normal group [(0.23±0.05) μg/L] ( P > 0.05 ). There was no significant difference in these cytokines among lung cancer patients with different histological types and in different TNM stages.

CONCLUSIONST helper cell cytokines are out of balance in patients with lung cancer, and this may play a certain role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Correcting this immune malfunction may become an important method in lung cancer therapy.