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Altered cytokine production can lead to immune dysfunction in patients with cancer. The present study investigated the expression of T helper (Th)17 cytokines in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and their clinical significance in providing new therapeutic insights. The prevalence of Th17 cells and their receptors in patients with LSCC was studied using immunohistochemical analysis via tissue microarray technology. Flow cytometry was used to investigate the percentage of Th17 and Th1 cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Furthermore, the proliferation of Th17 cells and Th17‑associated cytokines, including interleukin (IL)17, IL23 and RAR‑related orphan receptor γt, was analyzed by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results revealed that the prevalence of Th17 cells in patients with LSCC was elevated in their primary tumors, as well as in peripheral blood, compared with that in healthy controls. It was further demonstrated that Th17 cells could be induced and expanded in the tumor microenvironment through cytokines produced by the tumor cells. In conclusion, Th17 cells have a substantial impact on the carcinogenesis of LSCCs, and could serve as a potential therapeutic target to modulate the anti‑tumor response in these carcinomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin (IL)-10 is critically involved in tumorigenesis. In the present study, the association between the IL-10 -1082/-819/-592 promoter polymorphisms, the plasma IL-10 levels and the risk of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) was investigated in a prospective, case-control study. In total, 146 patients with LSCC, 61 with vocal leukoplakia and 119 healthy controls were genotyped for the IL-10 gene (IL-10 -1082 A/G, -819 T/C and -592 A/C) using pyrosequencing, and their plasma IL-10 levels were analyzed by ELISA. The patients with LSCC had a significantly higher frequency of AC at position -592 and -819 (OR, 1.82 and P=0.024) compared with the control, and a higher frequency of AG at position -1082 (OR, 2.20 and P=0.037). The patients with advanced LSCC had a significantly higher frequency of AG+GG at position -1082 compared with those with early-stage LSCC (OR, 3.13 and P=0.008 vs. OR, 2.06 and P=0.068). The patients with lymph node metastasis had a significantly higher frequency of AG+GG at position -1082 compared with the patients with no lymph node metastasis (OR, 2.97 and P=0.048 vs. OR, 2.23 and P=0.035). In addition, the patients with high frequencies of each genotype polymorphism had high plasma IL-10 concentrations. The present study indicates that the IL-10 -1082/-819/-592 promoter polymorphisms and corresponding high plasma IL-10 concentrations are associated with LSCC, and that variations in genotype distribution and plasma IL-10 concentrations may be associated with the stage and the lymph node metastasis status of LSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]