title: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration prior to total nephrectomy are prognostic factors in localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radical nephrectomy is the gold standard for treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but even for localized disease the survival rates are still unsatisfactory. Identification of prognostic factorsl is the basis for future treatment strategies for an individual patient.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to assess the usefulness of the concentration of IL-6 and CRP as prognostic factors in patients after nephrectomy due to localized RCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our prospective study included 89 patients (55 men and 34 women) who had been surgically treated for RCC. The examined group included patients with localized advanced disease (from T1 to T3) with no metastases in lymph nodes (N0), and with no distant metastases (M0). All patients had blood samples drawn three times during the study (one day before surgery, six days after surgery and 6 months after surgery) to evaluate the concentration of CRP and IL-6. In each patient RCC of the kidney was removed during radical nephrectomy. Statistical analysis was conducted using statistica v.7.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant relationships were found between the concentration of CRP before the operation and OS (p = 0.0001). CRP concentration at baseline was statistically significantly correlated with CSS (p = 0.0004). The level of IL-6 assessed before the surgery was significantly correlated with survival times such as OS (p = 0.0096) and CSS (p = 0.0002). The concentration of IL-6 and CRP measured 6 days after surgery and 6 months after surgery were not statistically significantly correlated with survival times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of our study showed that elevated levels of IL-6 and CRP in peripheral blood before surgery of RCC were correlated with worse OS and CSS.
authors.affiliation: Department and Clinic of Urology and Urologic Oncology, University of Medical Sciences, 3 Szwajcarska St, 61-285 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hrab
authors.affiliation: Department and Clinic of Dermatology, University of Medical Sciences, 49 Przybyszewskiego St, 61-355 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Olek-Hrab
authors.affiliation: Department and Clinic of Urology and Urologic Oncology, University of Medical Sciences, 3 Szwajcarska St, 61-285 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antczak
authors.affiliation: Department and Clinic of Urology and Urologic Oncology, University of Medical Sciences, 3 Szwajcarska St, 61-285 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kwias
authors.affiliation: Scientific Society of Urology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Milecki
keywords: C-reactive protein; Interleukin-6; Nephrectomy; Prognostic factors; Renal cell carcinoma