Clinicopathological significance of overexpression of interleukin-6 in colorectal cancer

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 23; no. 10; pp. 1780 - 1786
• Main Authors: Zeng, Jun, Tang, Zhong-Hua, Liu, Shuang, Guo, Shan-Shan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Baishideng Publishing Group Inc 14.03.2017
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Basic Study; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Colorectal Neoplasms - metabolism; Colorectal Neoplasms - pathology; Colorectal Neoplasms - surgery; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Middle Aged; Molecular Targeted Therapy - methods; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Invasion depth; Lymph node metastases; Colorectal cancer; Interleukin-6
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i10.1780

AIM To compare the expression levels of interleukin(IL)-6 in colorectal cancer(CRC) tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues, and analyse the correlation of IL-6 expression with the clinicopathological parameters of CRC. METHODS Fifty CRC tissue specimens and 50 matched adjacent mucosa specimens were collected. The expression of IL-6 in these clinical samples was examined by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation between IL-6 expression and clinicopathological parameters was assessed by statistical analysis.RESULTS IL-6 expression was significantly elevated in CRC tissues compared with noncancerous tissues(P < 0.001). IL-6 expression was positively correlated with tumour TNM stage(P < 0.001), but a negative correlation was detected between IL-6 expression and tumor histological differentiation in CRC(P < 0.05). Furthermore, IL-6 expression was associated with invasion depth and lymph node metastasis in CRC. CONCLUSION IL-6 might be a useful marker for predicting a poor prognosis in patients with CRC and might be used as a potential therapeutic target in CRC.