Clinical implications of expression of interleukin 8 related to angiogenesis in uterine cervical cancers

There was a significant correlation between microvessel counts and interleu kin (IL)-8 levels and beta-een infiltrated macrophage counts and IL-8 level s in uterine cervical cancers. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that t he localization of IL-8 was similar to that of CD68 for macrophages. The pr ognosis of the 20 patients with high IL-8 (>1000 pg/mg protein) in uterine cervical cancers was extremely poor, whereas the 24-month survival rate of the other 60 patients with low IL-8 (<1000 pg/mg protein) was 67%. Therefor e, this indicates that IL-8 might he a prognostic indicator as an angiogeni c factor supplied from macrophages within and around the tumor.