Monitoring of interleukine-10 and Interleukine-6 for Primary Vitreoretinal Lymphoma

Abstract

 

Purpose

 

Molecular techniques, especially quantitative analysis of the interleukine-10 (IL-10) and interleukine-6 (IL-6) have contributed to dramatic improvement of the diagnostic delay of primary Vitreoretinal Lymphoma (PVRL). If cytology remains the gold-standard for diagnosis, cytokine analysis is very efficient for screening purposes to identify patients who would benefit from a diagnostic vitrectomy. Very few data are available concerning the contribution of this cytokine analysis for the follow-up of PVRL patients.

 

Methods

 

Medical records of patients with a cytological diagnosis of PVRL seen in a single tertiary center between June 2009 and April 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the population at the time of the diagnosis were studied. Levels of IL-10 and IL-6 (humour aqueous and vitreous) at the diagnosis and during the follow-up were analyzed and correlated to the prognosis of these patients.

 

Results

 

We studied 71 eyes from 39 patients. Aqueous humor level of IL-10> 50pg /mL was observed in 82.7% patients, with a ratio IL-10 /IL-6> 1 in 87.5% of cases. Vitreous level of IL-10> 400pg/mL was observed in 62.5% of patients. Both IL-10 and IL-6 levels decreased as clinical remission was observed. Kinetic of decrease of IL-10 level was greater in patients responders to chemotherapy compared with patients ultimately presenting ocular relapse. Regardless of the therapeutic option chosen (systemic or local treatment), the rate of intraocular cytokine decreased in the same proportion.

 

Conclusions

 

Our results confirm the hypothesis that IL-10 level reflects tumor burden. Repeated cytokine measurment is usefull for the follow-up of patients with a PVRL. Ocular relapses can be detected very promptly and patients non-responsive to chemotherapy could also be identified early. A prospective study is on-going to determin the frequency of measurements of these interleukines during the treatment.