Evaluation of selected interleukins in patients with different gastric neoplasms: a preliminary report

Abstract

Abnormal interactions between cytokines may be an overlooked mechanism linking the development of different types of gastric neoplasms. In this study a comprehensive analysis of the systemic levels of interleukins (IL-1,IL-6, IL-8,IL-10 and IL-12) was performed in 75 patients with different gastric neoplasms (cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, neuroendocrine neoplasms, lymphomas) and 40 healthy volunteers. Patients with gastric cancer (GC) have significantly higher IL-6 levels, and lower IL-8 and IL-10 concentrations, in comparison to controls and patients with other gastric neoplasms. Analogous results were observed in terms of IL-6/IL-8 and IL-6/IL-10 ratios, whose values were also higher in GC patients. In GC patients no associations were detected between the systemic levels/values of interleukins (ratios) and TNM staging. IL-6, IL-10, IL-6/IL-8 and IL-6/IL-10 ratios appeared to hold diagnostic potential in confirming/excluding the presence of GC. Their sensitivity/specificity in GC detection/exclusion was approximately 54–72%. In conclusion, disturbed systemic biochemical balance in multiple interleukins exists at the earliest stages of and appears to be specific to GC. The interleukin ratios proposed here seem to be more promising indicators of GC in humans than direct systemic levels of interleukins, and probably possess the potential to be applied as a supporting factor for techniques routinely used.

Interleukins 17 and 23 in patients with gastric neoplasms

“…Our analyses revealed that only measurements of IL-17 may meet initial criteria for further consideration as a potential promising marker of gastric carcinoma in humans. However, from the analyses we conducted, it seems that this cytokine will definitively not be a suitable marker for independent decision-making, as its diagnostic value is less promising than those of various cytokines previously reported224243, and it may be considered only as an additional helpful factor that could support conventional diagnostic processes.…”

“…Next, we attempted to determine whether levels of the interleukins we examined here were associated with concentrations of other interleukins (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12) and the values of their respective ratios that we recently reported22. We found that, in patients with gastric carcinoma, peripheral levels of IL-17 were correlated only with IL-12 concentrations, whereas IL-23 levels were significantly associated with IL-10 values (Table 2).…”

“…Recently, much attention has focused on the action of the IL-17/IL-23 axis, which is believed to be a major player in inflammation-related malignancies, such as gastric neoplasms9101112131415162223. Indeed, epidemiological analyses revealed that Asian patients with selected polymorphisms in genes coding for both IL-17 and IL-23 may have an altered risk for developing gastric cancer242526272829.…”

“…Analogically as in our previous studies2122 the final diagnosis of gastric neoplasm was based on biopsy specimen analysis. In order to establish disease staging, patients underwent ultrasonography, computed tomography and/or endoscopic ultrasonography, as well as chest x-ray examinations.…”

“…Analogically as in our previous studies21224445464748 the Shapiro–Wilk test was used to determine the distribution of the continuous variables analyzed. The Student’s t-test was used to compare mean parameter values between the examined groups (for normally distributed variables).…”