A case of cervical cancer with aggressive tumor growth: Possible autocrine growth stimulation by G-CSF and IL-6

Background. Patients with tumors that produce hematopoietic growth factors, such as G-CSF, sometimes exhibit leukemoid reactions. Squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix producing such factors are rarely reported. Case. A 56-year-old woman had severe leukocytosis (>50 x 10(3)/mu l) and fever without evidence of infection after radical hysterectomy for treatment of her cervical cancer. The parametrial recurrent mass appeared after the operation and exhibited extremely aggressive growth. Serum levels of C-CSF and IL-6 were extremely high, and immunohistochemical analysis and RT-PCR assays revealed that C-CSF and IL-6 as well as their receptors were produced in tumor cells. Conclusions. This is a case of cervical cancer which exhibited an aggressive clinical course, possibly due to autocrine stimulation of cell growth by G-CSF and IL-6. (C) 2000 Academic Press.