Serum levels of interleukin-9 correlate with negative prognostic factors in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma.
Interleukin-9 (IL-9) is more functionally diverse than previously expected, especially with regards to lymphomagenesis. However, the relationship between IL-9 and the clinicopathological features of extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma is less well established. Patients with this lymphoma in Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center between January 2003 and March 2013 were systematically reviewed in an intention-to-treat analysis. Baseline serum IL-9 levels were determined using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. A total of seventy-four patients were enrolled in this study. The mean concentration of serum IL-9 for all patients was 6.48 pg/mL (range: 1.38-51.87 pg/mL). Age, B symptoms and local lymph node involvement were found to be related to high serum IL-9 levels. Patients with low IL-9 levels tended to have higher rates of complete remission. Notably, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were longer in the low IL-9 level group than in the high IL-9 level group (PFS: 68.7 months vs. 28.3 months, P<0.001; OS: 86 months vs. 42.8 months, P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed independent prognostic factors for PFS. Similarly, high IL-9 levels (P = 0.003) and old age (P = 0.007) were independently predictive of shorter OS. Serum IL-9 is closely related to several clinical features, such as age, B symptoms and local lymph node involvement. It can also be a significant independent prognostic factor for extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, which suggests a role for IL-9 in the pathogenesis of this disease and offers new insight into potential therapeutic strategies.
Department of Hematologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China; Department of Medical Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China.
Jing
J
Zhang
Department of Hematologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
Wei-da
WD
Wang
Department of Hematologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
Qi-Rong
QR
Geng
Department of Hematologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
Liang
L
Wang
Department of Hematologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
Xiao-Qin
XQ
Chen
Department of Hematologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
Cheng-Cheng
CC
Liu
Department of Hematologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
Yue
Y
Lv
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016906:Interleukin-9 / Q000097:blood*; D054391:Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
D016906:Interleukin-9