Expression of IL-6 receptor correlates with Gleason grade for patients with prostatic acinar adenocarcinoma in Kisumu Specialist Hospital in Kisumu County, Western Kenya

Abstract

Background: The potential roles of inflammatory makers in prostate cancer are subjects of intense examination and Interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) is key in these processes. Expression of interleukin-6 Receptor (IL-6R) has not been evaluated as a prognostic biomarker in grading of prostate cancer (Pca) in our population, yet inflammation is not uncommon. The current study therefore evaluated their expression in prostatic acinar adeno-carcinoma (PAA) patients of different Gleason grades.

Objective: To evaluate the expression of IL-6R in prostatic acinar adeno-carcinoma patients of different Gleason Grades

Design: A retrospective study.

Setting: The Kisumu Specialist Hospital (KSH) in Kisumu County, Western Kenya.

Materials and methods: Eighty (80) formalin-fixed prostate cancer Gleason graded biopsy specimens obtained at the KSH between 1st January 2017 and 30th June 2019. Kruskal-Wallis, one way ANOVA and Spearman’s correlation coefficient test were used to determine the correlation of tissue IL-6R expression and the clinico-pathological parameters

Results: Immune-reactivity score analysis of 80 patient’s samples showed high IL-6R expressions (37:46.3%), moderate IL-6R expression (15:18.8%) and low IL-6R expression (28:35%). A significant positive correlation was observed between IL-6R expression and both GS (r=0.470, p<0.0001) and GG (r= 0.506, p<0.0001).The results demonstrated that, IL-6R showed positive, significant correlation with Gleason Grades. The level of statistical significance was P≤0.05.

Conclusion: Finding suggests that IL-6R can be used as biomarker for monitoring PAA progression as the tissue expression correlated positively with Gleason grading systems.

Recommendation: The study recommended that IL-6R expression should be performed to aid in predicting the score and grading in PAA patients.