Interleukin-6 in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia:Relation to Line of Therapy and Prognostic Factors

Abstract

C hronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) is a clonal, myelo-proliferative disease that develops when a single, pluripotential, haemopoetic stem cell acquires the Philadelphia chromosome. CML was the first haematological malignancy to be associated with a specific genetic lesion. CML is often divided into three phases based on clinical characteristics and laboratory findings. In the absence of intervention, CML typically begins in the chronic phase, and over the course of several years progresses to an accelerated phase and ultimately to a blast crisis. IL-6 is an interleukin that acts as both a pro-inflammatory cytokine and an anti-inflammatory myokine. In humans, it is encoded by the IL6 gene.IL-6 is secreted by T cells and macrophages to stimulate immune response, e.g. during infection and after trauma, especially burns or other tissue damage leading to inflammation. IL-6 also plays a role in fighting infection.