title: Interleukin 6 expression by Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg cells is associated with the presence of 'B' symptoms and failure to achieve complete remission in patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease.
abstract: Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a potent immunomodulatory cytokine that has pathogenic and prognostic significance in a number of disorders. Previous studies in Hodgkin's disease (HD) have demonstrated the association between elevated serum levels of IL-6 and unfavourable prognosis, including advanced stage and the presence of 'B' symptoms and with reduced survival. Although IL-6 expression has been demonstrated in both the malignant Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells and in the various non-malignant cells present in HD biopsies, a relationship between expression of IL-6 by the tumour and outcome measures has not been established. The study group comprised of 97 patients with advanced HD who were recruited to two related clinical trials. IL-6 expression was determined on paraffin-wax sections of biopsy material by means of an immunohistochemical assay. Of the 97 patients, 27 (28%) showed staining for IL-6 in HRS cells. IL-6 expression by HRS cells was significantly correlated with a decreased likelihood of achieving a complete response to chemotherapy (P = 0.02) and with an increased prevalence of 'B' symptoms (P = 0.04). IL-6 expression by HRS cells was not associated with Epstein-Barr virus status (P = 0.57). In summary, the results suggest that IL-6 expression by HRS cells may contribute to the presence of 'B' symptoms and to a decreased likelihood to achieve a complete remission in HD patients.
authors.affiliation: The Liver Research Laboratories, CRC Institute for Cancer Studies, Department of Pathology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK.
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Lucinda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Billingham
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Joanne R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Flavell
authors.forename: Sohrab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Najafipour
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crocker
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Lawrence S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016539:Reed-Sternberg Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6