In order to identify possible correlations between interleukin-6 (IL-6) and hormonal and biochemical parameters of bone metabolism, or bone density, 24 postmenopausal women were studied. Serum IL-6, estradiol, calcium, phosphorus, osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, the urinary secretion of calcium, phosphorus and hydroxyproline, and bone density of the lumbar spine, femur and radius were measured. No significant correlation was found between IL-6 and the biochemical parameters. A negative correlation was found between IL-6 and serum estradiol, as well as between IL-6 and bone density in 5 out of 6 sites studied. It is possible that women with high IL-6 levels, may develop lower bone mass.

{In this report, we studied the immunorestorative properties of subcutaneously administered granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in patients with refractory solid tumours receiving second-line chemotherapy. Such patients exhibit abnormal immune responses in vivo and in vitro and, therefore, it was of interest to examine the effect of GM-CSF-induced immunomodulation on clinical response. We examined patients with primary malignant carcinomas (head and neck