Evaluation of interleukin-6 (il-6) as a tumor marker for urinary bladder cancer

Interlukin-6 is a multifunctional cytokine that involves in the activation of different intra-cellular signalling pathways resulting in the regulation of inflammation, immune response, proliferation and differentiation of tissue etc. IL-6 acts by means of two type of pathways namely classical signalling and trans-signalling according to the availability of it receptors, membrane bound IL-6R or soluble IL6R respectively. Increased circulation levels of IL-6 have been associated with several patho-physiological conditions including cancers. In this review article, we have compiled available studies regarding IL-6 and its role in urinary bladder cancer. Most of the studies found an association between increased levels of IL-6 and its positive staining in advance stages of urinary bladder cancer furthermore cell-line, animal model and genetic based studies confirms its role in urinary bladder cancer. Hence, after understanding its definite role in urinary bladder cancer, IL-6 can be used as a prognostic marker. Urinary bladder cancer growth may be controlled by using anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody against IL6 as a therapeutic mean or by using soluble gp130 receptor which inhibits its trans-signalling pathway. The area of interest is to find out its applicability in nature of disease, its progression and to design newer drugs which are curative as well as disease preventive. IL-6 has dual role as pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory agent, it is expected that it can promote cancer and can also control it, therefore there is need to discover the specific point where it has a noble activity.