Human interleukin-6 (IL-6) is of considerable importance in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer (PC). Prostatic cells are also known to be a reservoir for human herpesvirus 8 type (HHV-8). Due to the findings that HHV-8 had a homologue of human IL-6, viral IL-6, it seemed interesting to study the expression of these two cytokines in the tumor tissue of patients with PC. The expression of IL-6 mRNA was found in 70% of the patients. That of viral IL-6 was not detected in this disease. Nevertheless, a genetic HHV-8 material was ascertained in the tumor tissue of 2 patients with PC.
