Table 2.

Serum levels of cytokines in the study groups (mean±SD)

Cytokine	HCC (n = 33)	CLD(n = 20)	ASC(n = 20)	NC(n = 20)	P
IL-2	3.07±0.01	3.07±0.005	3.07±0.009	3.08±0.004	>0.05
Cut-off=3.087 pg/mL
Number of positive cases	1 (3%)	0	6 (30%)	0
IL-2R	16.67±5.44	16.28±5.28	3.42±1.85	1.39±1.09	<0.001
Cut-off=3.5 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	30 (91%)	16 (80%)	9 (45%)	1 (5%)
IL-6	4.71±2.49	5.2±1.68	6.4±1.9	4.82±2.62	0.032
Cut-off=10.06 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	1 (3%)	0	1 (5%)	1 (5%)
IL-6R	56.48±17.97	54.47±16.72	54.13±16.35	19.62±5.52	<0.001
Cut-off=30.65 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	29 (88%)	19 (95%)	17 (85%)	0
IL-10	9±26.07	6.59±7.57	3.96±2.24	3.13±0.79	>0.05
Cut-off=4.71 pg/mL
Number of positive cases	9 (31%)	8 (40%)	3 (15%)	0
TNF-α	4.77±3.2	5.53±1.9	811±5.8	58±196	<0.001
Cut-off=17.2 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	0	0	20 (100%)	1 (5%)
TNF-α RI	1.27±0.98	1.87±1.50	0.56±0.23	0.29±0.16	<0.001
Cut-off=0.599 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	24 (72%)	16 (80%)	7 (35%)	1 (5%)
TNF-α RII	7.89±3.57	9.16±4.26	3.42±1.72	2.17±1.29	<0.001
Cut-off=4.74 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	25 (81%)	17 (85%)	4 (20%)	0

¹Cut-off=mean±2 SD of non-cancer controls. P<0.05 difference is statistically significant.