Interleukin-6 but not tumour necrosis factor-alpha predicts survival in patients with advanced cancer.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the survival of patients with advanced cancer.

METHODS:

In this prospective cohort study between three hospice and palliative care centres in South Korea, we followed 98 advanced cancer patients until death or the end of the study. Approximately 60 % of the patients had poor functional status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score ≥3). We investigated the symptoms of cancer cachexia anorexia syndrome, possible cytokine-related confounders such as infection and medication records. Influence from clinical variables was adjusted using the Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS:

The median survival time was 27 days. On multivariate analysis, elevated IL-6 (hazard ratio, 2.139; p = 0.003) was found to be an independent significant prognostic factor. TNF-α was not a significant factor. Poor performance status and male gender were also independently related to shortened survival.

CONCLUSIONS:

IL-6 level can be a useful indicator of survival time of patients with advanced cancer at the very end of life. In contrast, the prognostic role of TNF-α requires further study.

• Authors: Sang-Yeon Suh, Youn Seon Choi, Chang Hwan Yeom, Sang Mi Kwak, Ho Min Yoon, Dae Gyun Kim, Su-Jin Koh, Jeanno Park, Myung Ah Lee, Yong Joo Lee, Ah-Ram Seo, Hong-Yup Ahn, Eunji Yim
• Journal: Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (Support Care Cancer) Vol. 21 Issue 11 Pg. 3071-7 (Nov 2013) ISSN: 1433-7339 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 23828393 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• IL6 protein, human
• Interleukin-6
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Topics

• Aged
• Anorexia (metabolism, mortality)
• Cachexia (metabolism, mortality)
• Female
• Hospices
• Humans
• Interleukin-6 (blood)
• Kaplan-Meier Estimate
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasms (metabolism, mortality)
• Palliative Care
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Prognosis
• Proportional Hazards Models
• Prospective Studies
• Republic of Korea (epidemiology)
• Risk Factors
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (blood)