Serum proinflammatory cytokines and its relationship to clinical parameters in lung cancer patients with reactive thrombocytosis

Abstract

Proinflammatory cytokines Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) play a significant role in the pathogenetic processes related to various malignant and inflammatory conditions. Leukocytosis, thrombocytosis and increased acute phase protein levels are part of a systemic inflammatory response. In this study, we measured the concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and ferritin as well as hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in 23 patients (male 15, female 8, median age 68 years) with lung cancer and reactive thrombocytosis (LCRT), in 27 (male 18, female 9, median age 64 years) with benign inflammatory lung disorder (BILD) and 18 (male 10, female 8, median age 62 years) lung cancer patients with a normal platelet count (LCNP). IL-1 beta levels were significantly higher in the three patient groups in comparison with control subjects (P < 0.001) but without significant difference among the three patient groups. IL-6 was higher in all three patients groups but only in the BILD group it was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference in IL-6 serum levels was found between the two lung cancer groups. CRP and LDH were significantly higher in the LCRT group in comparison with the other two patient groups (P < 0.01 and 0.001, respectively), while ferritin was higher in both lung cancer groups in comparison with the BILD group (P < 0.001). Our data suggest that in lung cancer patients, reactive thrombocytosis is part of the systemic inflammatory reaction for which IL-1 beta and IL-6 may be intermediate but not independent mediators.

Thrombocytosis as a Useful Prognostic Indicator in Patients with Lung Cancer

“…Although the specific mechanism underlying development of thrombocytosis in lung cancer patients remains unclear, our results suggest that thrombocytosis does not depend on tumor burden, but instead may represent a biologic phenotype of individual lung tumors. Patients with lung cancer producing bone marrow-stimulating cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 [15, 16, 17], IL-1 [15, 17]and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) [18]could exhibit thrombocytosis even at an early stage. Thrombocytosis has been linked with shorter survival in patients with gynecologic cancer [8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 20], renal cancer [8], gastric cancer [14], and lung cancer [6, 7].…”

Hematologic Abnormalities Associated With Lung Carcinoma

“…11,12 Reactive thrombocytosis in lung cancer has been suggested to be part of the systemic inflammatory reaction for which interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 may be intermediate, though not independent, mediators. 13 Thrombocytosis is an independent predictor of poor prognosis in lung-cancer patients. 11,14 Curiously, though, it has not been associated with an increased incidence of venous thromboembolism.…”

The Value of COX-2, NF-κB, and Blood Routine Indexes in the Prognosis of Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma

“…Tumor cells release a series of cytokines that stimulate megakaryocytes and lead to an elevated level of platelets [30]. Studies have confirmed that platelet count has a close relationship with the growth, invasion, and metastases of tumors and the prognosis of patients.…”