Changes in saliva interleukin-6 levels in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to elucidate changes in interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in whole saliva during the treatment of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).


METHODS
Twenty-nine consecutive inpatients with OSCC were enrolled. Stimulated saliva was collected just after hospitalization (period 1), just before main treatment (surgery in 26 cases; period 2), and at the time of discharge (period 3). The mean intervals were 11+/-8 days between periods 1 and 2 and 30+/-18 days between periods 2 and 3. Nineteen age-matched healthy control subjects were also recruited. Interleukin-6 concentrations were measured by a highly sensitive chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
Interleukin-6 was detected in 23 out of 29 samples in the OSCC group in period 1. The concentration of IL-6 was significantly higher in the OSCC group (mean 20.1+/-36.3 pg/mL) than in the control subjects (0.6+/-0.8 pg/mL; P=.003). The mean concentration of IL-6 at period 2 was 43.6+/-95.6 pg/mL, significantly higher than at period 1 (P=.002), and at period 3 was 17.1+/-27.6 pg/mL (P=.52 [compared with period 2]).


CONCLUSIONS
Interleukin-6 was up-regulated in saliva in the OSCC patients. The IL-6 level tended to increase before treatment, and it returned to baseline levels after treatment.
Sato
Jun
J
Department of Oral Pathobiological Science, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. jun-s@den.hokudai.ac.jp
Goto
Jun
J
Murata
Tsubasa
T
Kitamori
Shogo
S
Yamazaki
Yutaka
Y
Satoh
Akira
A
Kitagawa
Yoshimasa
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D012016:Reference Values; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D015850:Interleukin-6