The diagnostic value of IL-6 and thymidine phosphorylase in the progression of osteosarcoma

Introduction Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) is known to be correlated with the pathogenesis of solid tumors. IL-6 is overexpressed in osteosarcoma, and data exist showing that high concentrations of IL-6 are linked to a poor prognosis.

The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnostic role of thymidine phosphorylase and IL-6 in the pathogenesis and progression in patients with osteosarcoma.

Materials and methods Thirty patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma (with age ranging between 15–44 years) were included in the current study. Those patients were distributed as 6, 15, 5 and 4 subjects for stages AI, BI, II and III respectively.

Results Statistical analysis pointed out that IL-6 tends to be increased patients in stage III (3.89 ± 0.34 ng/ml) compared to stage AI, BI and II: 1.48 ± 0.22 ng/ml, 1.55 ± 0.24 ng/ml and 2.45 ± 0.45 ng/ml respectively. Regarding thymidine phosphorylase, the current study also found that it tends be increased patients in stage III 8.3 ± 0.33 ng/ml comparing to stage  AI, BI and II: 7.2 ± 0.92 ng/ml, 6.82 ± 1.14 ng/ml and  7.8 ± 0.22 ng/ml, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) for thymidine phosphorylase was 0.87, with high significant difference p < 0.001, at a cut-off point 2.44, while the sensitivity and specificity ratios were 0.85, and 0.71 respectively. Regarding IL-6, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.75, with significant difference p < 0.038, at  a  cut-off point 6.32, while the sensitivity and specificity ratios were 0.81, and 0.69 respectively. These biomarkers can also be used in the diagnosis and progression of osteosarcoma.

Discussion High levels of TP are expressions of tumor aggressiveness and poor prognostic factors. Some separate studies focus on TP expression at different osteosarcoma stages but their numbers are few, arguing that there is a gap in the current available literature. TP more recently has attracted significant attention for its involvement in cancer biology, especially with regard to its influence on disease pathogenesis and prognosis, according to available studies, TP plays a major part in the development of most malignant diseases, and particularly bone-related malignancies. It has been observed that TP promotes angiogenesis, is expressed in tumor-associated macrophages within the tumor stroma. TP expression has been studied in different types of cancer as a predictive body. New prognostic models for patients with bone cancer can be developed based on literature data.

Conclusion It is suggested that thymidine phosphate activity and IL-6 have a significant high diagnostic power in the diagnosis and progression of osteosarcoma.

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