Yu-Yun Shao1,2,3, Hang Lin3, Yong-Shi Li3, Ying-Hui Lee3, Ho-Min Chen3, Ann-Lii Cheng1,2,3,4, Chih-Hung Hsu1,3. 1. Graduate Institute of Oncology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine. 2. National Taiwan University Cancer Center, National Taiwan University College of Medicine. 3. Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital. 4. Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Antiangiogenic therapy is crucial for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. Interleukin (IL)-6 is an inflammatory response mediator that can promote angiogenesis. We explored its prognostic role in patients with advanced HCC. METHODS: We had two patient cohorts, both comprising patients who received sorafenib-containing therapy as the first-line treatment for advanced HCC. We explored the best cut point for pretreatment plasma IL-6 levels in the exploration cohort and then confirmed it in the validation cohort. RESULTS: In total, 55 and 73 patients constituted the exploration and validation cohorts, respectively. In the exploration cohort, a cut point of 4.28 pg/ml was the best for defining high and low IL-6 levels because it could most effectively differentiate overall survival (OS). On application of this cut point to the validation cohort, patients with high plasma IL-6 levels, compared with patients with low IL-6 levels, exhibited significantly poorer OS (median, 8.0 vs 13.9 months, P = 0.031) but similar progression-free survival or treatment response. After adjusting for patient demographics and tumor characteristics, a high plasma IL-6 level remained an independent predictor of poor OS (hazard ratio 2.594, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: High pretreatment plasma IL-6 levels were associated with poor prognosis of patients with advanced HCC.
PURPOSE: Antiangiogenic therapy is crucial for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. Interleukin (IL)-6 is an inflammatory response mediator that can promote angiogenesis. We explored its prognostic role in patients with advanced HCC. METHODS: We had two patient cohorts, both comprising patients who received sorafenib-containing therapy as the first-line treatment for advanced HCC. We explored the best cut point for pretreatment plasma IL-6 levels in the exploration cohort and then confirmed it in the validation cohort. RESULTS: In total, 55 and 73 patients constituted the exploration and validation cohorts, respectively. In the exploration cohort, a cut point of 4.28 pg/ml was the best for defining high and low IL-6 levels because it could most effectively differentiate overall survival (OS). On application of this cut point to the validation cohort, patients with high plasma IL-6 levels, compared with patients with low IL-6 levels, exhibited significantly poorer OS (median, 8.0 vs 13.9 months, P = 0.031) but similar progression-free survival or treatment response. After adjusting for patient demographics and tumor characteristics, a high plasma IL-6 level remained an independent predictor of poor OS (hazard ratio 2.594, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: High pretreatment plasma IL-6 levels were associated with poor prognosis of patients with advanced HCC.
Authors: Osman Öcal; Juozas Kupčinskas; Egidijus Morkunas; Holger Amthauer; Kerstin Schütte; Peter Malfertheiner; Heinz Josef Klümpen; Christian Sengel; Julia Benckert; Ricarda Seidensticker; Bruno Sangro; Moritz Wildgruber; Maciej Pech; Peter Bartenstein; Jens Ricke; Max Seidensticker Journal: EJNMMI Res Date: 2021-06-02 Impact factor: 3.138