The significance of serum IL-18 levels in Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

[BACKGROUND] Inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin lymphoma. IL-18 is a proinflammatory cytokine. Therefore, we investigated the serum IL-18 levels and their prognostic significance in Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

[METHOD] Serum IL-18 levels were compared between 30 newly diagnosed Hodgkin lymphoma patients and 30 healthy controls. The association between IL-18 levels, clinical findings, prognostic markers, and treatment response was also evaluated in Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

[RESULTS] The HL group's IL-18 level (29.28 ± 13.48 pg/mL) was significantly higher than that of the control group (16.69 ± 9.33 pg/mL) (p < 0.001). Significant associations were observed between IL-18 levels and extranodal involvement, B symptom presence, performance status, Ann-Arbor stage, bulky mass presence, bone marrow involvement, and treatment response in Hodgkin lymphoma patients (p = 0.013, p = 0.006, p = 0.009, p = 0.003, p = 0.001, p = 0.02, p = 0.03, respectively). IL-18 levels also positively correlated with LDH and beta-2 microglobulin levels (r = 0.37, p = 0.04, r = 0.5, p = 0.005, respectively).

[CONCLUSION] Serum IL-18 levels are higher in Hodgkin lymphoma patients compared to healthy individuals. IL-18 levels may serve as a prognostic marker and a predictor of treatment response in Hodgkin lymphoma patients.