Introduction: In the recent years many authors have underlined a possible role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of cancer cachexia. In our report we present the preliminary data of a comparison of serum Interleukin-6 (IL6), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF) and gamma-interferon (INF) between patients with cancer cachexia and normal controls.
Methods: IL6, TNF and INF were evaluated in patients with cancer cachexia and normal controls. All the patients with a weight loss greater than 10% secondary to advanced solid tumours were considered eligible and enrolled into the trial in the group of the cases (group A); a control group (Group B) was formed grouping subjects with the same characteristics of the patients group (age and sex), and without any sign or symptoms of weight loss or neoplastic disease. A comparison between group A and group B was performed both using the Mann Witney non-parametric test.
Results: 28 patients were enrolled in the group A and 22 in the group B; the 2 groups were comparable for sex and age. The mean values (+/- Standard Error) of IL6, TNF and INF were respectively 13 +/- 4.5 pgr/ml, 0.3 +/-0.04 UI/ml, 17.3 +/- 3.3 pgr/ml. Comparing IL6, TNF and INF values between group A and group B, we observed respectively 19.3 +/- 7.8 pgr/ml vs 4.9 +/- 1.3 pgr/ml (p = 0.05), 0.1 +/- 0.05 UI/ml vs 0.5 +/- 0.06 UI/ml (p < 0.001), and 17.9 +/- 5.9 pgr/ml vs 16.5 +/-1.2 pgr/ml (p = 0.006).
Conclusion: Our results seem to suggest that some differences exist in IL6, TNF and INF assessment between patients with cancer cachexia and normal controls. A further datum we are analysing in our trial is if basal IL6, TNF and INF in patients with cancer cachexia could be uses as predictive parameters during a palliative treatment with progestins. Otherwise, a comparison between basal values of IL6, TNF and INF and clinical outcome after a treatment with progestins is ongoing. Supported by IOR.