Is interleukin-6 blood level associated with circulating carcinoembryonic antigen and prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer?
In patients with colorectal cancer, blood concentration of IL-6 is associated with high circulating CEA and advanced stage. Furthermore, an IL-6 concentration of more than 10 pg/ml is an independent negative prognostic marker of survival.
We found frequent PIK3CA amplification and promoter methylation of RASSF1A and PAX6 genes in gastric cancers, and demonstrated concomitant PIK3CA amplification and promoter methylation in any one of these two genes were significantly associated with worse survival in gastric cancer. Collectively, such (epi)genotypes may be strong and independent poor prognostic factors for gastric cancer patients.