Journal of Inflammation Research (May 2024)
Changes in Serum Interleukin-8 Levels Predict Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Immunotherapy in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients
Abstract
Jiao Zhang,1,2 Yi Yin,3,4 Jiliang Tang,5 Yingrong Zhang,1,2 Yanan Tian,1,2 Fengkai Sun1,2,6 1Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Paediatrics, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Paediatrics, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 5Emergency Department, Rizhao Central Hospital, Rizhao, People’s Republic of China; 6College of Acupuncture and Massage, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Fengkai Sun, Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jingwu Road 324#, Jinan, 250021, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-531-68776902, Fax +86-531-68776072, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Effective biomarkers are needed to predict the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We evaluated the early changes in serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels as a biomarker of response to ICIs in patients with unresectable HCC.Methods: Eighty patients who received ICIs therapy alone or in combination with other treatments for unresectable HCC were included. Serum was collected at baseline and 2– 4 weeks after the first dose. Serum IL-8 levels were measured using by ELISA.Results: In the progressive disease (PD) group, serum IL-8 levels increased significantly before the second dose of ICIs therapy compared with baseline levels (P 8.1% indicated the uselessness of ICIs immunotherapy in patients with unresectable HCC. Patients with increases in serum IL-8 levels > 8.1% had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) than those with increases in serum IL-8 levels ≤ 8.1% (P 8.1% were independent prognosticators of worse OS (P = 0.003) and PFS (P 8.1% indicated the uselessness of ICIs immunotherapy and predicted worse OS and PFS.Keywords: interleukin-8, immune checkpoint inhibitor, response, serum biomarker, hepatocellular carcinoma
