title: Serum Level of Interleukin-6 in Patients with Oral Tongue Squamous cell Carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical outcome of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) located in the head and neck has remained poor despite ongoing advances in diagnosis and management. Interleukin-6(IL-6) is a multi-functional cytokine that plays an important role in the process of cell differentiation and is increased in several malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum levels of interleukin-6 in patients with oral tongue SCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study, 17 patients with oral tongue SCC were compared with the same number of age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. Serum IL-6 level fluctuation was determined using an immunological technique, before detecting its possible association with the subjects' age, gender, drinking and smoking history, cancer site, and disease severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intensity of serum IL-6 in patients with oral tongue SCC was statistically significantly higher than that in healthy subjects (P<0.001). Serum IL-6 level was independent of the patients' age, gender, smoking and drinking history as well as cancer stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-6 is a valuable biomarker in the diagnosis of oral tongue SCC. Its high sensitivity makes prediction of this condition possible, while this biomarker can also be used to screen high-risk patients.
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lotfi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Imam Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Nikzad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shahidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hazrat Rasool hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bayazian
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Imam Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: AbdollahiFakhim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Imam Reza hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Rasoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Estakhri
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esfahani
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Imam Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Rezvan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Notash
keywords: Cytokines; Interleukin-6; Oral tongue carcinoma; Squamous cell carcinoma