Abstract
Type I interferons (IFNs) play a pivotal role not only in antiviral immunity but also in the surveillance of cancer development. In order to quantify the critical function of type I IFNs in the suppression of human cancer development, IFN-α production in response to Sendai virus stimulation has been compared between healthy control subjects and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients, the latter being an ideal population for longterm monitoring of cancer development. Data for IFN-α production were obtained retrospectively over a 17-year period by examining medical records in a study population of 2315 individuals, of which 112 healthy controls and 20 HCV-infected patients were selected. Sixty percent of the HCV-infected patients had impaired or declining IFN-α production, in comparison to 17% in the healthy control group. Mean IFN-α levels were lower in patients who developed hepatocellular carcinoma than in the HCV-infected patients who remained cancer free. Our findings suggest that impairment of IFN-α production may be linked to an increased cancer risk and that dysfunction of the IFN system is associated with some types of cancer. Therefore, periodic assessment and quantification of IFN-α production can be a potential test for the early detection of cancer in humans.
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