RESUMO
ICAM-1 is a protein which act as mediator of close cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction. It influences and regulates basic cellular function as morphogenesis and immunoregulation. Serum ICAM-1 is used as a tool in the follow up of disease activity to detect metastatic cancer and relapses of haematological malignancies in an early phase. TNF-alpha plays a central role in inflammatory and immune responses, exhibits a cytotoxic activity against tumour cells and it is the most inducer of ICAM-1. The aim is to study the prognostic importance of serum level of both serum ICAM-1 and TNF-alpha in comparison with B[2]-Microglobulin and lactic dehydrogenase enzyme in different stages and states of non-hodgkins lymphoma [activity, remission and relapse]. Sixty newly diagnosed NHL patients not receiving any therapy as well as 20 healthy subjects matched in age and sex were the subject matter of this study. Eight patients with low grade NHL, thirty patients with intermediate grade and twenty two patients with high grade.Out of them fifty two patients were in remission and eighteen patients were in relapse. All subjects sera were analysed for ICAM-1, TNF-alpha, B[2-M] and LDH. The results showed significant elevation of serum ICAM-1 and TNF-alpha in all stages of NHL at diagnosis as compared to control group, the elevation correlated with Ann Arbor stages. ICAM-1 and TNF-alpha level were significantly correlated with the serum level of prognostic markers of NHL, B[2-M] and LDH, tumor burden and disease activity of remission and relapse