Interleukin-8 and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the second most common neoplasm of the upper aerodigestive tract after cancer of the oral cavity. Over the past two decades, even though patients have benefited greatly from the latest advances in surgical techniques, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, the survival rate of LSCC has not improved significantly. It is reported that changes in the expression of cytokines and growth factors have implications in the malignant transformation of many cancers including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and, more recently, LSCC. It has been hypothesized that some of these cytokines may be used as additional diagnostic markers in the sera of patients because of their excessive production by the tumor cells. This could be of great value since there are currently no reliable markers to predict either tumor development or relapse. Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 8 (CXCL8), is now reported to play an important role in cancer invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. Recent studies have shown an increased concentration of IL-8 in patients with LSCC and a positive association with lymph node metastasis and T classification. Interleukin-8 levels were not significantly associated with shorter overall survival and cancer progression-free survival. The investigation of the mechanisms of origin, invasion, and metastasis of the cancer is one of the emergent and most promising scientific fields in head and neck cancer, especially in LSCC. Biomarkers such as IL-8 could have a role as a screening test and as a support of the clinical decisions for appropriate therapy and postoperative care in individual patients.