Non-small-cell lung cancer associated with excessive eosinophilia and secretion of interleukin-5 as a paraneoplastic syndrome.
Eosinophilia associated with solid tumors is an infrequent occurrence. The pathogenesis of tumor-associated eosinophilia is not well understood. Interleukin-5 (IL-5) is a cytokine that has been implicated in the development of eosinophilia in mice and humans. However, there is little data associating IL-5 production with eosinophilia in the presence of tumor. We report, in a patient with locally advanced NSCLC, the presence of excessive eosinophilia and elevated serum IL-5 levels at diagnosis. Immunohistochemical staining of the primary tumor showed large amounts of intracellular IL-5. Both eosinophil count and IL-5 levels normalized after surgical removal of the tumor. Tumor-associated eosinophilia observed in this case is mediated by IL-5. The production of IL-5 is related to the presence of the tumor.
Pandit
Renu
R
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA. renupandit@hotmail.com
Scholnik
Aaron
A
Wulfekuhler
Louis
L
Dimitrov
Nikolay
N
D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000097:blood*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D011859:Radiography
D015848:Interleukin-5