Palliative steroid therapy and serum interleukin-6 levels in a patient with lung cancer.
We report a patient with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung who had a detectable serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) level. Despite systemic chemotherapy, the tumor progressed, with elevation of serum IL-6 level. Palliative steroid therapy with 20 mg/day of prednisolone resulted in the decline of serum IL-6 level and, simultaneously, improved anorexia and oral intake. Although there was no weight gain or improvement in hypoalbuminemia, these results suggest that steroids may suppress the abnormal production of IL-6 in cancer patients and that this action affects symptoms. Further study is warranted to clarify the role of IL-6 in tumor-related symptoms and the effect of steroid therapy in relation to IL-6 production in cancer patients.
Yanagawa
H
H
Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Japan.
Kawano
T
T
Haku
T
T
Yano
S
S
Maniwa
K
K
Sone
S
S
D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011239:Prednisolone