Premium
Clinical significance of interleukin‐6 and interleukin‐6 receptor expressions in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Author(s) -
Wang YiFen,
Chang ShyueYih,
Tai ShyhKuan,
Li WingYin,
Wang LiangShun
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.10145
Subject(s) - immunohistochemistry , in situ hybridization , pathology , messenger rna , interleukin , biology , clinical significance , carcinoma , metastasis , interleukin 9 , lymph node , interleukin 6 , medicine , cancer research , oncology , cytokine , cancer , gene , biochemistry
Background Recent studies showed that interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) played a role in tumor development. However, available information about the prognostic significance of IL‐6 and IL‐6 receptors (IL‐6R) for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is limited. Methods Eighty‐six patients with OSCC were enrolled. Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine IL‐6R expression and in‐situ hybridization for IL‐6 mRNA transcripts in surgical specimens. Clinicopathologic correlation was evaluated by chi‐square test and survival by log rank test. Results Expression rates of IL‐6R and IL‐6 mRNA transcripts in tumor specimens were 73.3% and 54.7%, much higher than those in nontumor mucosa ( p < .001). IL‐6R overexpression was associated with larger tumors and more advanced histologic grade ( p < .05). The presence of IL‐6 mRNA transcripts was inversely correlated with distant metastasis, lymph node involvement, and second primary SCC ( p < .05) and predicted better survival ( p = .007). Conclusions IL‐6‐IL‐6R coexpression was rather high in OSCC, and IL‐6 mRNA transcript expression might influence patient survival. The biologic role of IL‐6‐IL‐6R coexpression in OSCC needs additional investigation. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 24: 850–858, 2002