Background: Cancer is associated with a state of systemic inflammation with high levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines. Cytokine gene polymorphisms may affect the inflammatory response in cancer patients and their nutritional and performance status with subsequent effects on their prognosis.
Aim: This study investigated the relationship between IL-10 -1082 A/G promoter polymorphism and anorexia, body mass index (BMI) and performance status in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies.
Methods 88 newly diagnosed patients with GI malignancies were genotyped for IL-10-1082 A/G promoter polymorphism by real-time PCR allelic discrimination assay. The prevalence of anorexia, BMI and performance status was compared between patients with different genotypes.
Results: In the whole group of patients, anorexia was significantly more prevalent (p < strong>< 0.001) among patients carrying the variant genotypes (AG and GG) who were also found to have significantly lower BMI (p=0.002) and poorer performance status (p=0.027) than those with the wild genotype (AA). In patients with earlier cancer (stages I and II), a variant genotype was significantly associated with more anorexia and lower BMI.
Conclusion: These results suggest that IL-10-1082 A/G promoter polymorphism may have an effect on the nutritional and performance status of patients with GI malignancies.