{"title":"The usefulness of serum interleukin-6 as a predictor of response to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab combination treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma.","authors":"Takanori Mukozu,Hidenari Nagai,Hideki Nagumo,Kunihide Mohri,Naoyuki Yoshimine,Kojiro Kobayashi,Yu Ogino,Teppei Matsui,Yasuko Daido,Noritaka Wakui,Koichi Momiyama,Koji Higai,Takahisa Matsuda,Yoshinori Igarashi","doi":"10.1159/000541372","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTION\r\nIn atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev) combination treatment, both drugs act on the immune system. Previously we reported that immunological changes after Atezo/Bev administration for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) revealed significant alterations in interleukin (IL)-6, soluble IL-2 receptor, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and programmed cell death-1 levels. Among these variable factors, serum levels of IL-6 can be easily measured on a commercial baias. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the utility of serum IL-6 as a predictor of tumor response to Atezo/Bev treatment for uHCC.\r\n\r\nMETHODS\r\nThe study included 44 patients with HCC treated with Atezo/Bev. Blood samples were collected before and 3 weeks after treatment, and tumor response was assessed using contrast-enhanced computed tomography 6 weeks after treatment.\r\n\r\nRESULTS\r\nSignificant changes in serum IL-6 levels were observed in patients treated with Atezo/Bev as first-line therapy but not in those treated with it as second line or later-line therapy. In patients treated with Atezo/Bev as first-line therapy, serum IL-6 levels increased significantly after treatment in patients with a complete or partial response but not in patients with stable or progressive disease. Furthermore, compared to other tumor markers such as alpha-fetoprotein, lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of alpha-fetoprotein, and des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin, serum IL-6 levels exhibited the highest sensitivity in predicting tumor response during the treatment period.\r\n\r\nCONCLUSION\r\nIn patients with uHCC treated with Atezo/Bev, serum IL-6 levels could serve as a potential predictor of tumor response. Elevated levels after treatment may indicate a favorable tumor response and prognosis.","PeriodicalId":19497,"journal":{"name":"Oncology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Oncology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000541372","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ONCOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
In atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev) combination treatment, both drugs act on the immune system. Previously we reported that immunological changes after Atezo/Bev administration for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) revealed significant alterations in interleukin (IL)-6, soluble IL-2 receptor, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and programmed cell death-1 levels. Among these variable factors, serum levels of IL-6 can be easily measured on a commercial baias. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the utility of serum IL-6 as a predictor of tumor response to Atezo/Bev treatment for uHCC.
METHODS
The study included 44 patients with HCC treated with Atezo/Bev. Blood samples were collected before and 3 weeks after treatment, and tumor response was assessed using contrast-enhanced computed tomography 6 weeks after treatment.
RESULTS
Significant changes in serum IL-6 levels were observed in patients treated with Atezo/Bev as first-line therapy but not in those treated with it as second line or later-line therapy. In patients treated with Atezo/Bev as first-line therapy, serum IL-6 levels increased significantly after treatment in patients with a complete or partial response but not in patients with stable or progressive disease. Furthermore, compared to other tumor markers such as alpha-fetoprotein, lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of alpha-fetoprotein, and des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin, serum IL-6 levels exhibited the highest sensitivity in predicting tumor response during the treatment period.
CONCLUSION
In patients with uHCC treated with Atezo/Bev, serum IL-6 levels could serve as a potential predictor of tumor response. Elevated levels after treatment may indicate a favorable tumor response and prognosis.
期刊介绍:
Although laboratory and clinical cancer research need to be closely linked, observations at the basic level often remain removed from medical applications. This journal works to accelerate the translation of experimental results into the clinic, and back again into the laboratory for further investigation. The fundamental purpose of this effort is to advance clinically-relevant knowledge of cancer, and improve the outcome of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of malignant disease. The journal publishes significant clinical studies from cancer programs around the world, along with important translational laboratory findings, mini-reviews (invited and submitted) and in-depth discussions of evolving and controversial topics in the oncology arena. A unique feature of the journal is a new section which focuses on rapid peer-review and subsequent publication of short reports of phase 1 and phase 2 clinical cancer trials, with a goal of insuring that high-quality clinical cancer research quickly enters the public domain, regardless of the trial’s ultimate conclusions regarding efficacy or toxicity.