title: Serum levels of interleukin-6 as a prognostic factor in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) were evaluated in a group of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The data were related to clinical status and to cisplatin-based chemotherapy response. The mean IL-6 concentrations were higher than the controls (p<0.0001); patients with metastatic tumor had higher levels than those with undisseminated disease (p<0.006). Tumor progression was associated with an increase of IL-6 levels. Patients who responded to chemotherapy had lower serum IL-6 levels compared with unresponsive patients (p<0.0001). These data suggest that NSCLC patients with high levels of IL-6 have a worse clinical outcome and may manifest resistance to cisplatin chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Internistica Clinica e Sperimentale, Cattedra di Oncologia Medica, Seconda Universita di Napoli, c/o II Policlinico, via S. Pansini n. 5, Naples, 80131, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Vita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orditura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Auriemma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Infusino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roscigno
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Catalano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018450:Disease Progression; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015850:Interleukin-6; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin