title: Palliative steroid therapy and serum interleukin-6 levels in a patient with lung cancer.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yanagawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haku
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maniwa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sone
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011239:Prednisolone