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Co‐culture of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Spheroids with Autologous Monocytes Predicts Prognosis
Author(s) -
Kross K. W.,
Heimdal J. H.,
Olsnes C.,
Olofsson J.,
Aarstad H. J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2008.02072.x
Subject(s) - spheroid , head and neck , basal cell , head and neck squamous cell carcinoma , medicine , oncology , pathology , cell culture , biology , head and neck cancer , cancer , surgery , genetics
Abstract Co‐culture of monocytes with autologous fragment (F) spheroids originating from malignant (M) tumour or benign (B) control mucosa of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) yields interleukin (IL)‐6 and monocyte chemo‐attractant protein (MCP)‐1 secretion. This study investigates the association between this cytokine co‐culture response and prognosis. Analysis of IL‐6 and MCP‐1 content of supernatants from monocytes in vitro co‐culture with autologous MF‐ or BF‐spheroids was investigated in a cohort of HNSCC patients ( n = 65) diagnosed between 1998 and 2005, all of whom were treated with curative intent by primary surgery. The IL‐6 response was expressed as a fraction of the lipopolysaccharid response of the same batch of monocytes. Recurrence, survival and causes of death were then established following the second part of 2005. MCP‐1 levels did not predict prognosis. We found that increased levels of IL‐6 from autologous monocytes in co‐culture with MF‐spheroids predicted recurrence with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.5 [confidence interval (CI): 1.01–2.60; P = 0.05] and co‐culture with BF‐spheroids and monocytes predicted recurrence (HR = 4.17; CI: 1.54–11.29; P = 0.005). The same results where obtained in addition with TNM stage of the patients. Simultaneous analysis of BF‐ and MF‐spheroid co‐culture IL‐6 responses as well as adjustment for age and TNM stage of the patients allowed prediction of total survival (HR = 3.1; CI: 1.11–8.56; P = 0.03) based on BF co‐culture levels. IL‐6 secreted upon in vitro co‐culture with monocytes and BF‐spheroids predicts recurrence and prognosis, whereas co‐culture with monocytes and MF‐spheroids predicts recurrence.