Expression of interleukin-6, interleukin-6 receptor, and glycoprotein 130 correlates with good prognoses for patients with breast carcinoma

✍ Scribed by Aldona Karczewska; Sergiusz Nawrocki; Danuta Brȩborowicz; Violetta Filas; Andrzej Mackiewicz

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 149 KB
• Volume: 88
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(20000501)88:9<2061::aid-cncr12>3.0.co;2-o

✦ Synopsis

BACKGROUND. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is secreted by normal epithelial breast cells but not by oncogene-transformed cells. Interleukin-6 is able to inhibit growth of breast carcinoma cells in culture. Interleukin-6 exerts its activity via two receptor subunits, IL-6R and glycoprotein 130 (gp130). The expression of these receptor subunits in breast tumors has been studied, but there are no previous reports of their prognostic significance, to the authors' knowledge.

METHODS. mRNA of IL-6, IL-6R, and gp130 was studied in 75 tumor samples obtained from breast carcinoma patients. Patients were followed for a maximum of 71 months (median follow-up, 61 months; 60 patients were followed for a minimum of 5 years or died during the observation period). Prognostic factors were analyzed in univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

. mRNA specific to IL-6, IL-6R, and gp130 was detected in 57%, 53%, and 71% of breast carcinoma tissues, respectively. Expression was strongly correlated with earlier stages of the disease. In univariate analysis, expression of IL-6 and its receptor subunits proved to be a positive prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS). IL-6R and gp130 expression were good independent prognostic factors for OS. The 5-year OS of all patients was 66%. The 5-year OS in IL-6, IL-6R, and gp130 positive groups was 95%, 94%, and 90%, respectively, whereas in negative groups it was 26%, 31%, and 9%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS.

Expression of IL-6, IL-6R, and gp130 in breast carcinoma tissue is associated with earlier stages of the disease. In advanced stages, expression of IL-6 and its receptor subunits predicts better prognosis.