Evaluation of TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-6 in Thyroid Disorder Patients Leading to Thyroidectomy

Introduction: This study was carried out to investigate the immunological role of some cytokines in patients suffering from thyroid disorders (nodular hyperplasia, thyroid cancer, hypothyroidism, and thyrotoxicosis). Therefore, this study aimed to assess several immunological factors associated with clinically diagnosed thyroid disorders in patients who decided to undergo thyroidectomy.
Methods: It was conducted at specialized outpatient and governorate laboratories in the period from September 2024 to November 2025. Eighty female individuals participated in this study, and serum samples were collected from these individuals before the operation. Alongside them, another set of serum samples was collected from twenty healthy female individuals to compare different cytokine levels between these two groups. ELISA kits were used to evaluate the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and interleukin 6 (IL-6).
Results: In non-toxic goiter patients, there was a significant increase (P≤0.01) in the IL-8 and IL-6 levels; there were no significant differences between non-toxic goiter patients and the control group in the levels of TNF-α. In toxic goiter patients, there was a significant increase (P≤0.01) in the TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-6 levels. In hypothyroidism patients, there was a significant increase (P≤0.01) in the TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-6 levels. Also, in thyroid cancer patients, there was a significant increase (P≤0.01) in the TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-6 levels.
Conclusion: The present study results support the fact that cytokines play essential roles in the development and prognosis of thyroid disorders. It indicates that measurements (TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-6) can be considered diagnostic tests to predict thyroid disorders.