Changes of plasma interleukin-6 concentration in multiple myeloma after the treatment with thalidomide

AIM To investigate the mechanism of thalidomide in treatment of multiple myeloma.METHODS The plasma interleukin-6(IL-6)concentration of 20 healthy controls and 56 patients with multiple myeloma was detected by flow cytometry method.RESULTS①The plasma IL-6 concentration in multiple myeloma group was significantly higher than that in control group[(17.14±5.54)vs(11.24±2.86)ng·L~(-1),p0.01].The untreated group had the highest plasma IL-6 concentration[(22.26±4.53)ng·~(L-1)].②The plasma IL-6 concentration of the chemotherapy group was lower than that of the untreated group[(16.32±3.32)vs(22.26±4.53) ng·L~(-1),p0.01].③The plas- ma IL-6 concentration of the group treated with chemotherapy and thlidomide was(12.48±3.13)ng·L~(-1),which was sig- nificantly lower than that of the untreated group and the chemotherapy group(P0.01).CONCLUSION Thalidomide may play a role in inhibiting the growth and proliferating of myeloma cell by decreasing IL-6.