The Concentration of Serum Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1 (TGF-β1) Is Decreased in Cervical Carcinoma Patients

Abstract

Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) is a multifunctional growth factor and known to inhibit the proliferation of epithelial cell. The relationship between serum TGF-β1 level and the presence of cervical cancer was investigated in this study. The patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) had significantly lower level of serum TGF-β1 (39.14±9.03 ng/mL; mean ± SD) than those with myoma (49.17±9.38 ng/mL) and normal subjects (49.13±8.81 ng/mL), (p<0.007 and p<0.001, respectively). TGF-β1 level was also lower in the patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN3) (42.07±9.38 ng/mL) than in normal controls (49.13±8.81 ng/mL) (p<0.04). It suggested that diminution of the production of TGF-β1 has close association with the neoplastic transformation of cervical epithelium.