Characterization of Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer and High Serum Interleukin-6 Levels. Issue 5 (July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Miura, Tomofumi; Mitsunaga, Shuichi; Ikeda, Masafumi; Shimizu, Satoshi; Ohno, Izumi; Takahashi, Hideaki; Furuse, Junji; Inagaki, Masatoshi; Higashi, Sayumi; Kato, Hiroyuki; Terao, Kimio; Ochiai, Atsushi
• Is Part Of: Pancreas. Volume 44:Issue 5(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-07
• Subjects: Pancreas -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Pancreas -- Periodicals; Neuroendocrine tumors -- Periodicals; 616.37005
• DOI: 10.1097/MPA.0000000000000335
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0885-3177

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Objectives</title> <p>High serum level of interleukin 6 (IL-6) is associated with high degree of tumor progression and systemic weakness. Anti–IL-6 therapy possibly improves the deterioration of clinical characteristics in patients with high IL-6 level. However, IL-6–related factors in patients with treatment-naive advanced pancreatic cancer (PC) have not been established. The goal of this study was to identify IL-6–related factors in patients with advanced PC who were scheduled to undergo first-line chemotherapy.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Methods</title> <p>Patients with treatment-naive advanced PC were eligible for inclusion in this study. Patients who did not receive first-line chemotherapy were excluded. Serum IL-6 levels and clinical parameters were prospectively recorded. Analyses were performed to identify risk factors for high IL-6 levels.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Results</title> <p>Eighty patients were analyzed. IL-6–related factors were advanced age (<italic>P</italic> < 0.01), the presence of liver metastasis (<italic>P</italic> < 0.01), the large volume of liver metastasis (<italic>P</italic> < 0.01), severe fatigue (<italic>P</italic> = 0.02), high carcinoembryonic antigen levels (<italic>P</italic> = 0.02), anemia (<italic>P</italic> < 0.01), and high C-reactive protein levels (<italic>P</italic> = 0.02) in multivariate analyses. Decreased skeletal muscle mass tended to be associated with high IL-6 levels.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>High serum IL-6 was related to advanced age, the presence of hepatic metastasis, large tumor burden in liver, severe fatigue, high carcinoembryonic antigen, high C-reactive protein, and anemia in patients with treatment-naive advanced PC.</p> </sec> </abstract>