Prognostic Role of Interleukin-1β Gene and Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Gene Polymorphisms in Patients With Advanced Gastric Cancer

Purpose A high interleukin-1β (IL-1B) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-RN) ratio underlies an unfavorable proinflammatory status. Also, it seems to be involved in the mechanisms of cancer cachexia and tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms in IL-1B gene (IL-1B-511C/T,IL-1B-31T/C) and a variable number of tandem repeat polymorphisms in IL-RN gene (IL-1RNlong/2) enhance the circulating levels of the two cytokines. The prognostic role of IL-1B/IL-1RN genotypes was investigated in patients with relapsed and metastatic gastric cancer treated with palliative chemotherapy. Patients and Methods Before starting palliative chemotherapy, 123 prospectively enrolled patients supplied peripheral-blood samples for DNA extraction. Survival data were analyzed according to IL-1RN/IL-1B genotypes. Results Forty-two patients showed wild-type genotypes (IL-1RNlong/long, IL-1B-511C/C, and IL-1B-31T/T; group A). Forty-five patients showed the IL-1RN2 polymorphism, with wild-type IL-1B ge...