title: Serum levels of IL-6 and IL-1β can predict the efficacy of gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With this study, we sought to characterise the impact of pro-inflammatory cytokines on the outcomes of gemcitabine monotherapy (GEM) in patients with pancreatic cancer (PC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment-naive patients with advanced PC and no obvious infections were eligible for enrolment. All of the patients were scheduled to undergo systemic chemotherapy. Serum pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured using an electro-chemiluminescence assay method before chemotherapy. High cytokine levels were defined as values greater than the median. Clinical data were collected prospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty patients who received GEM were included in the analysis. High IL-6 and IL-1β levels were poor prognostic factors for overall survival in a multivariate analysis (P=0.011 and P=0.048, respectively). Patients with both a high IL-6 level and a high IL-1β level exhibited shortened overall and progression-free survival, a reduction in the tumour control rate, and a high dose intensity of GEM compared with patients with low levels of both IL-6 and IL-1β.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The serum levels of IL-6 and IL-1β predict the efficacy of GEM in patients with advanced PC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan. smitsuna@east.ncc.go.jp
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitsunaga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Furuse
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Higashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Terao
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ochiai
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054316:Biomarkers, Pharmacological / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D054316:Biomarkers, Pharmacological; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C508585:IL1B protein, human; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine