Cytokines levels, Severity of acute mucositis and the need of PEG tube installation during chemo-radiation for head and neck cancer - a prospective pilot study

Amichay Meirovitz, Michal Kuten, Salem Billan, Roxolyana Abdah-Bortnyak, Anat Sharon, Tamar Peretz, Mordechai Sela, Moshe Schaffer, Vivian Barak

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

66 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this pilot study was to detect a correlation between serum cytokine levels and severity of mucositis, necessitating installation of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG) in head and neck (H&N) cancer patients receiving combined chemo-radiation therapy.Patients and Methods: Fifteen patients with H&N epithelial cancer were recruited to this study. All patients received radiotherapy to the H&N region, with doses ranging from 50-70 Gy. Chemotherapy with cisplatin, carboplatin, 5-fluorouracil and taxanes was given to high-risk patients, using standard chemotherapy protocols. Patients were evaluated for mucositis according to WHO common toxicity criteria, and blood samples were drawn for inflammatory (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokine levels before and during treatment.Results: A positive correlation was found between IL-6 serum levels and severity of mucositis and dysphagia; specifically, high IL-6 levels at week 2 were correlated with a need for PEG tube installation. A seemingly contradictory correlation was found between low IL-8 serum levels and a need for a PEG tube.Conclusion: These preliminary results, indicating a correlation between IL-6 and IL-8 serum levels and severity of mucositis and a need for a PEG tube installation, justify a large scale study.

Original languageEnglish
Article number16
JournalRadiation Oncology
Volume5
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 25 Feb 2010
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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