High IL-6 expression in the tumor microenvironment is associated with poor prognosis of patients with extranodal natural / killer T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL)
Qixiang Rong, Yan Gao, Qichun Cai, Xiaoxiao Wang, Bing Bai, Liqin Ping, Haixia He, Hui‐Lan Rao, Yujing Zhang, Zhiming Li, Qingqing Cai, Wenqi Jiang, Huiqiang Huang
Abstract
Objectives: Extranodal natural/killer T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) is a rare subtype of T cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Current clinical prognostic models for ENKTL still have their limitations. Validated prognostic models for ENKTL have not yet been established.Methods: Tumor microenvironment IL-6 was measured by immunohistochemistry in 78 ENKTL patients.Results: Patients with negative IL-6 expression in the tumor microenvironment have a longer PFS (56.0 months vs. 25.6 months, p < 0.001) and OS (96.0 months vs. 43.3 months, p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, tumor microenvironment IL-6 [p = 0.048, HR = 1.76(1.00–3.08)] and extranodal involvement [p = 0.001, HR = 2.69(1.50–4.82)] were independent prognostic factors for PFS. Tumor microenvironment IL-6 [p = 0.033, HR = 2.69 (1.08–6.67)], Ann Arbor stage [p = 0.002, HR = 2.77 (1.47–5.23)] and B symptom [p = 0.027, HR = 2.02 (1.08–3.78)] were independent prognostic factors for OS.Expert opinion: A high IL-6 expression was related to poor survival, which may be a valuable biomarker for prognostic evaluation at baseline in ENKTL. These results showed that anti-IL-6R may be a potential targeted therapy for the treatment of advanced or relapsed ENKTL.