Evaluation of serum procalcitonin and interleukin-6 levels as markers of liver metastasis.
OBJECTIVE
Procalcitonin (PCT) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are established markers of tissue inflammation and injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible correlation of PCT and IL-6 with liver metastasis.


METHODS
The study consisted of fifteen healthy controls (group A), twenty-one patients with solid tumors without metastases (group B), eleven patients with liver metastasis only (group C) and eleven patients with generalized metastatic disease (group D).


RESULTS
Serum PCT levels were significantly increased in group D compared to groups A (p<0.001) and B (p=0.004), but no difference was observed in PCT levels between groups C and B or C and D. IL-6 serum levels were markedly elevated in group C compared to group A (p<0.001) or to groups B (p<0.001) and D (p=0.02). A positive correlation was observed between PCT and IL-6 serum levels (r=0.357, p=0.019).


CONCLUSIONS
PCT levels are related to disease stage in cancer patients, whereas IL-6 concentration seems to be a more specific marker of liver metastasis.
Matzaraki
Vassiliki
V
Athens University, School of Nursing ICU at KAT Hospital, 20 Velouhiou Str, Aharnes 136 71, Athens, Greece. vickym@hol.gr
Alexandraki
Krystallenia I
KI
Venetsanou
Kyriaki
K
Piperi
Christina
C
Myrianthefs
Pavlos
P
Malamos
Nikolaos
N
Giannakakis
Theodoros
T
Karatzas
Stelios
S
Diamanti-Kandarakis
Evanthia
E
Baltopoulos
George
G
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide