Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Characterization of the Inflammatory Response in the Tumor Microenvironment

Background: Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare cancer arising from mesothelial cells lining the peritoneal surface. Little is known about the tumor microenvironment in regulating MPM oncogenesis. The current study defined the chemokine/cytokine expression profile and inflammatory responses within the MPM microenvironment. Methods: Levels of 10 cytokines (Fractalkine, IFNγ, IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, TNFα, VEGF) in matched ascites and sera from 15 MPM patients were measured using Milliplex immunoassays. Sera from six normal control sera were included. Statistical analyses included the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the Mann–Whitney U test, bivariate analysis, and the R² coefficient of correlation. Results: The median levels of IL-6 (3190 vs 3.18 ng/ml; p <0.001), IL-8 (118 vs 4.93 ng/ml; p