IL-6 roles - Molecular pathway and clinical implication in pancreatic cancer - A systemic review

•Pancreatic cancer has attracted a great deal of attention owing to the poor outcome, increasing prevalence in the last years and delay diagnosis.•IL-6 requires special attention to understand its complexity in pancreatic cancer development.•IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine with multiple physiological and pathological functions.•IL-6 plays a central role in patient's prognostic, treatment resistance and other co morbidities like depression and cachexia.•IL-6 must be classified as a potential outcome survival marker and a treatment target.

Pancreatic cancer has attracted a great deal of attention owing to the poor outcome, increasing prevalence in the last years and delay diagnosis. Known as a complex disease, it involves genetic mutations, changes in tumour microenvironment and inflammatory component dominated by interleukin-6 and its activated pathways, like Janus Kinase-Signal Transducer and Activator of Translation3, Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase and Androgen receptor. The pro-inflammatory cytokine, plays a central role in oncogenesis, cancer progression, invasiveness, microenvironment changes, treatment resistance, prognosis and associated co morbidities like cachexia and depression. Fulfilling these roles IL-6 requires special attention to understand its complexity in PC development.