[Evaluation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in cancer patients]. / Otsenka aktivnosti faktora nekroza opukholei (FNO) u onkologicheskikh bol'nykh.

The levels of TNF spontaneously produced in monocyte and macrophage supernatants were measured in 65 patients with tumors of different localization and stages. The TNF levels in blood monocyte and macrophage supernatants obtained from peritoneal washings were found to significantly differ from those in blood serum in the same patients. The highest TNF concentrations were registered in monocytes supernatants sampled from rectal and breast cancer patients. A relationship between cancer cachexia and TNF level is discussed.