A Massachusetts-based physician, Dr. Dan Avradopoulos practices at the Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine at Heywood Hospital and has extensive experience as a surgical oncologist. Well published in his field, Dr. Dan Avradopoulos coauthored a paper examining the ability of interleukin-10 to induce immunosuppressive effects in head and neck cancers, particularly squamous cell carcinoma. Published in the March 1997 issue of Annals of Surgical Oncology, the paper brought focus to depressed cell-mediated immunity, which involves impairment of lymphokine-activated and natural killer cell activity, as well as T cell-proliferative responses. This suppression of the immune response is linked to a serum-derived factor and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), interleukin (IL)-10, and other cytokines generating similar immunosuppressive effects. The study examined whether IL-10 and TGF-beta were responsible for the sera-induced immunosuppressive effects in patients with head and neck cancers. The findings were that, while TGF-beta did not have this role, reversal of the suppressive effect could be achieved through blocking IL-10’s biologic action. Further research was recommended to better understand IL-10’s role in triggering the immunosuppressive effect.
