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. 2019 Jan 17;20(2):382. doi: 10.3390/ijms20020382

Table 2.

Summary of results of the analyzed studies reporting details on sampling types and timepoints, type of cytokines, and main findings. See Table 1 for additional details.

Ref Sample Type Sampling Timepoints Cytokines Results
[27] Blood Before RT and on the last day of RT TGF-β1 and PDGF-AB TGF-β1 and PDGF levels decreased significantly during RT
[28] Blood From 6 and 18 months after treatment IL-6, TGF-α, IL-1β There were no significant baseline differences between survivors and the CTR group in LPS-stimulated TNF-α, IL-6, or IL-1b cytokines, or in the cytokine z score. There were significant differences in the trajectories of stimulated cytokines over time by treatment group with survivors treated with a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy having the highest increases in stimulated cytokines
[29] Blood and serum Before and after RT (24 h, 1 and 4 months after RT) IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α Compared to controls: increased IL-6; lower IL-8 at baseline increases during SBRT reaching level similar to those of controls; no differences, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α not detectable
[30] Specimen During resection Intratumoral IFN-γ mRNA and protein levels No association with metastasis
[31] Serum Before and 1 month after treatment IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, SCC-Ag, and CYFRA 21-1 Potential markers in the metastasis and BC prognosis
[32] Specimen During resection CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CCL8, CCL18, CCL19, CCL21, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11 and CXCL13 Radiosensitivity and immune activation
[33] Biopsy Pre-treatment only RANK/RANK ligand RANK/OPG axis RANK is increased in Her-2 negative and basal BC, and correlates with worse recurrence, free survival, and risk of bone metastases
[34] Surnatant from S wound fluid 24 h after IORT TGF-β1 Invariant after IORT
[35] Serum Before, at the end (week 7) and 6 weeks after RT IL-6, IL-1ra1RA In the CTR group, IL-6 increased at the end of RT and decreased 6 weeks after RT. IL-6 was invariant in patients performing exercise. IL-1ra was similar in both groups and increased only slightly after RT
[36] Blood From 8 am to 12 noon at 4-hour intervals before any treatment IL-10RB, IFNA2, CXCL13, IL-17C, IL-17F, IL-13, CCL26, CSF2, IL-3, OSM, IL-1A, IL-16, IL-5RA, TNFSF13 All but three genes were downregulated in the blood of triple-negative BC patients. The most downregulated cytokines were IL-17C and IL-17F, IL-17C, better known as IL-21
[37] Skin biopsy From 0, 7, to 21 years after RT. TGF-β1 Alterations in blood and lymphatic vessel are correlated with changes in TGF-β1 and endoglin levels, and with macrophage infiltration. Bisphosphonate treatment impaired leucocyte influx, but also negatively affected neovessel formation
[38] Serum From 8.3 up to 12 years (mean 9.9 years) IL-6 and CTGF No correlation between IL-6 and age. No correlation between cytokines and RT or fibrosis
[39] Plasma Baseline, weekly, 3 and 6 months post-treatment IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-10, VEGF, EGF, INF-β IL-1b, Il-2, IL-6, and TNFα were increased 4 weeks after RT.
[40] Plasma 1 year after RT IL-6 Elevation of plasma IL-6 levels in patients 1 year post-RT
[41] Serum Serum was drawn before S before, 1 month after RT, and every subsequent 6 months for 2 years TGF-β1 Elevated TGF-β1 levels in patients with moderate to severe radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF) compared with those who experienced none to mild RIF. This elevation was transiently eliminated after surgery and before IBAPBI, but once again it became significant during IBAPBI and persisted at 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months

Main abbreviations for Table 2: breast cancer (BC); chemokine ligands (CCL); connective tissue growth factor (CTGF); healthy control (CTR); chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXC); intracavitary brachytherapy accelerated partial breast irradiation (IBAPBI); interleukin (IL); interferon (INF); intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT), lipopolysaccharide (LPS); monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1); platelet-derived growth factor anti-body (PDGF-AB); radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF); radiotherapy (RT); surgery (S); transforming growth factor (TGF); tumor necrosis factor (TNF). See Abbreviation list for other acronyms.