Haemocytometric profile and plasma levels of selected cytokines in patients at various stages of cervical cancer

Introduction and aim. Reports have shown that there is alteration in haematological and inflammatory processes in patients with cervical cancer. However, there is the dearth of information on the pattern of alteration in Nigerian patients with cervical cancer at various stages of the disease. Therefore, haemocytometric profile and plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-12 were determined in Nigerian patients with cervical cancer at various stages of the disease. Material and methods. Eighty-nine adults consisting of 49 patients with cervical cancer and 40 apparently healthy controls were enrolled into this study. Haemocytometric profile was determined using automated haematology analyzer while the plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-12 were determined using ELISA. Results. Of the participants with cervical cancer, 6.12%, 24.49%, 53.06% and 16.33% were in stages I, II, III and IV respectively. The mean plasma IL-6 level was significantly higher in patients at stage IV of the cancer compared with those in stages I, II and III. No significant differences were observed in the mean plasma IL-12 level, and the haemocytometric profile when patients in different stages of the cancer were compared with one another. Plasma IL-6 had significant positive correlation with the lymphocytes count and cancer stage but had significant negative correlation with packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin and total white blood cells count (WBC) in patients with cervical cancer. Conclusion. Interleukin-6 appears to play an important role in the progression of cervical cancer and could be involved in cervical cancer-associated alteration in haemocytometric profile.