The role of interleukin-6 in gynaecological malignancies

There are many parallels between gynaecological cancers in relation to cytokine networks within their respective tumour microenvironments and evidence to support interleukin-6 (IL-6) being an appropriate therapeutic target in these diseases. This article provides an overview on IL-6 biology including updates on novel discoveries in IL-6 signalling and then focuses on the role of IL-6 in processes such as cell proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, evasion of tumour immunity and chemoresistance and presents data relating to the abrogation of these processes with anti-IL-6 targeted therapy in preclinical and clinical studies. The overall aim will be to highlight the necessity for further translational studies concentrating on combinations of anti-IL-6/IL-6R therapies with other novel targets in an attempt to significantly improve overall survival in patients with gynaecological cancers.