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ONCOLOGY / CLINICAL RESEARCH
IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17A as predictive biomarkers for treatment response to PD-1 blockade immunochemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer
1
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
2
School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
3
Department of Oncology, Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
4
Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangsu University Affiliated People’s Hospital, Zhenjiang, China
Submission date: 2025-02-13
Final revision date: 2025-05-15
Acceptance date: 2025-05-24
Online publication date: 2025-06-25
Corresponding author
Zhihong Chen
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, China
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, China
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Advanced gastric cancer (AGC) treatment outcomes are improved with PD-1 blockade immunochemotherapy, but predicting responders remains challenging. Cytokines, key immune response regulators, may predict treatment outcomes. The aim of the study was to identify cytokines as predictive biomarkers for PD-1 inhibitor-based cancer immunotherapy response in AGC, improving treatment decision-making.
Material and methods:
In this retrospective analysis, 241 patients with AGC were included, with 136 patients receiving an immunochemotherapy regimen that included PD-1 blockade, while 105 patients constituted the control group receiving chemotherapy alone. Serum levels of various cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1β, IL-17A, IFN-α2, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-12p70) were measured using a Luminex assay after the initiation of treatment.
Results:
Patients undergoing PD-1 blockade immunochemotherapy showed significantly elevated levels of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17A, especially within the group that exhibited a therapeutic response, compared to the control group. Notably, among those who responded to the immunochemotherapy, there was a marked reduction in the concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17A over the course of the treatment. In contrast, such reductions were not observed in the non-response group. Among the assessed cytokines, the combined evaluation of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17A, in conjunction with CA-125, demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy for assessing the efficacy of immunochemotherapy in AGC patients.
Conclusions:
Our study identified IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17A cytokines as predictive biomarkers for treatment outcomes in AGC patients receiving immunochemotherapy. Combining these cytokines with CA-125 significantly enhances predictive accuracy, enabling tailored treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes.
Advanced gastric cancer (AGC) treatment outcomes are improved with PD-1 blockade immunochemotherapy, but predicting responders remains challenging. Cytokines, key immune response regulators, may predict treatment outcomes. The aim of the study was to identify cytokines as predictive biomarkers for PD-1 inhibitor-based cancer immunotherapy response in AGC, improving treatment decision-making.
Material and methods:
In this retrospective analysis, 241 patients with AGC were included, with 136 patients receiving an immunochemotherapy regimen that included PD-1 blockade, while 105 patients constituted the control group receiving chemotherapy alone. Serum levels of various cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1β, IL-17A, IFN-α2, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-12p70) were measured using a Luminex assay after the initiation of treatment.
Results:
Patients undergoing PD-1 blockade immunochemotherapy showed significantly elevated levels of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17A, especially within the group that exhibited a therapeutic response, compared to the control group. Notably, among those who responded to the immunochemotherapy, there was a marked reduction in the concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17A over the course of the treatment. In contrast, such reductions were not observed in the non-response group. Among the assessed cytokines, the combined evaluation of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17A, in conjunction with CA-125, demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy for assessing the efficacy of immunochemotherapy in AGC patients.
Conclusions:
Our study identified IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17A cytokines as predictive biomarkers for treatment outcomes in AGC patients receiving immunochemotherapy. Combining these cytokines with CA-125 significantly enhances predictive accuracy, enabling tailored treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes.
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