Multiplexed Immunobead-based Profiling of Cytokine Markers for Detection of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Prognosis of Patient Survival

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine cytokine profiles of peripheral blood for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: A total of 132 patients with untreated NPC, 169 healthy individuals, and 32 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) were enrolled in this study. The plasma levels of 13 cytokines were measured by the multiplexed immunobead-based method.

Results: The levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-3α were significantly elevated in patients with NPC; but the stem cell factor (SCF) levels were significantly lower. The levels of IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, and MIP-3α were significantly elevated in patients with advanced stages disease and correlated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA. A 2-marker panel consisting of MIP-3α and SCF increased the screening efficacy of EBV-specific viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgA or EBV DNA, although the addition of MIP-3α and SCF to the combined set of currently available markers (EBV VCA IgA and EBV DNA) did not improve the accuracy of the diagnostic panel. The patients with NPC with higher levels of IL-8, VEGF, MIP-3α, and EBV DNA had worse prognoses for overall survival (p = .008, .035, .005, and .007, respectively).

Conclusion: Simultaneous, large-scale measurement of multiple cytokines may improve NPC detection and prognostic prediction.