BACKGROUNDInterleukin-8 (IL-8) is a member of the CXC chemokine family, which involved in tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenesis. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of IL-8 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its clinicopathologic significance.

METHODSThe expression of IL-8 protein and the intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) were detected in 114 cases of NSCLC on tissue array by immunohistochemical method (EnVisionTM method).

RESULTSThe positive rate of IL-8 expression was 81.6% (93/114) in 114 cases of the primary lung cancer and 79.1% (34/43) in metastatic lymph nodes respectively. And it was remarkably higher in NSCLC with lymph node metastasis (93.0%, 40/43)) than in those without lymph node metastasis (74.6%, 53/71) (P < 0.05). IL-8 protein expression in primary lung cancer tissues was positively related to TNM stages (P < 0.05), but not to histological type, differentiation degree, age and sex of patients (P > 0.05). In addition, there was significant difference in MVD between IL-8 positive NSCLC tissues (22.1±13.6) and negative ones (14.8±11.2) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe present study suggests that there is overexpression of IL-8 in NSCLC, which is closely related to angiogenesis, TNM stages and lymph node metastasis. Detection of IL-8 protein may be helpful to evaluate biological characteristics and therapy for NSCLC.