Author(s) : M. Muc-Wierzgon, K. Madej, M. Baranowski, J. Wierzgon.
Summary : The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis of a diurnal fluctuation of circulating levels of endogenous tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- ) in patients with colorectal cancer metastases. Serum levels of TNF- were measured 6 times a day in 27 colorectal cancer patients as well as in healthy controls. The levels of TNF- in serum from healthy controls were close to the detection limit of the method or were not detectable at all. Serum TNF- levels in advanced cancer patients were substantially increased. Peak values appeared at 2 a.m. In contrast, the levels were low in the afternoon (2 p.m). The presence of a circadian rhythm was found with the acrophase at 0 hour 40 min.
Keywords : circadian rhythm, endogenous TNF- , colorectal cancer metastases.
Pictures
Figure 1: Diurnal variations in endogenous serum TNF-alpha levels in
patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma.
ANOVA p < 0.0000
Figure 2 Daily fluctuations in serum TNF-alpha
concentration in metastatic colorectal cancer patients (single/24 h/cosine
function).
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