title: High interleukin-6 mRNA expression is a predictor of relapse in colon cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of interleukin-6 (IL6) in colon cancer tissue, and to examine if the risk of relapse is influenced by IL6 expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh-frozen biopsies from tumor and normal adjacent tissues were taken from patients with colon cancer during surgery and stored at -80 °C. mRNA expression for interleukin-6 was evaluated with reverse transcription real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Survival analyses were carried-out using a Cox competing risk regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL6 mRNA was significantly more highly expressed in tumor tissue compared to normal adjacent tissue (p<0.001). We found no significant association with regard to IL6 expression and histological differentiation or cancer stage. We found a significant association between high IL6 expression and risk of relapse (Hazard Ratio=2.23, 95% CI=1.10-4.53; p<0.05), also when adjusted for clinicopathological characteristics (Hazard Ratio=2.16, 95% CI=1.07-4.40; p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interleukin-6 is up-regulated in colon cancer tissue at the transcriptional level and is significantly associated with increased risk of relapse.
authors: Department of Science, Systems and Models, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark Department of Surgery, Roskilde University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark josn@ruc.dk.
authors: Jesper
authors: J
authors: Olsen
authors: Department of Surgery, Roskilde University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
authors: Lene T
authors: LT
authors: Kirkeby
authors: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen Denmark.
authors: Jørgen
authors: J
authors: Olsen
authors: Department of Pathology, Roskilde University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Eiholm
authors: Department of Surgery, Roskilde University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Jess
authors: Department of Surgery, Roskilde University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen Denmark.
authors: Ismail
authors: I
authors: Gögenur
authors: Department of Science, Systems and Models, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark.
authors: Jesper T
authors: JT
authors: Troelsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Gastroenterology; IL6; cancer biomarker; colon cancer; cytokines; interleukin-6