title: Complete resection for pleomorphic lung cancer with a high serum IL-6 level: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pleomorphic lung cancer cells have been reported to produce cytokines, resulting in systemic reactions. Recently, the autonomous production of hematopoietic cytokines (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [G-CSF], granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF], and interleukin-6 [IL-6]) was observed in some of these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We herein report a case of complete resection of right pleomorphic lung cancer producing IL-6. The patient had a high-grade fever before surgery, and a blood examination showed high IL-6 and CRP levels in the serum. After surgery, the patient no longer had a fever, and the elevated serum IL-6 levels had dropped to values less than those before the operation. Immunohistochemically, the carcinoma cells were faintly or focally positive for IL-6 and negative for G-CSF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The symptoms in the present case were dramatically improved by surgery. In addition, an immunohistochemical examination showed that the cancer cells were positive for IL-6.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan. okasou@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Soichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumiya
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Taiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuwata
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chikaishi
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Imanishi
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuroda
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uramoto
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumihiro
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tanaka