Description
Interleukin-6 (IL-6)
What this test measures
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine involved in immune signaling and inflammatory regulation. It reflects the activity of inflammatory pathways that may not be detected by routine laboratory markers.
Who this test is for
This test may be appropriate for individuals who want to evaluate:
-
Low-grade or chronic inflammation
-
Immune system activation
-
Physiologic stress response
-
Inflammatory contributions to neurologic, metabolic, or systemic symptoms
-
Response to anti-inflammatory or detoxification protocols
Why IL-6 is useful
IL-6 plays a central role in coordinating immune and inflammatory responses. It can be elevated in situations involving:
-
Chronic physiologic stress
-
Ongoing immune activation
-
Inflammatory or toxic burden
-
Neuroinflammatory processes
-
Age-related inflammatory signaling (“inflammaging”)
IL-6 may be elevated even when standard markers such as CRP are normal, making it useful for detecting subtler inflammatory states.
How results are interpreted
-
Elevated IL-6 may indicate increased inflammatory signaling or immune activation
-
Normal IL-6 suggests that active systemic inflammation is less likely
Results should be interpreted in context with other laboratory findings and clinical history.
How this test is used
IL-6 is commonly used to:
-
Establish a baseline measure of inflammatory activity
-
Help guide nutritional, metabolic, or lifestyle interventions
-
Monitor changes over time during treatment or recovery
Testing details
-
Blood test
-
Performed through Labcorp
-
After purchase, a Labcorp requisition will be provided for specimen collection
The majority of studies report that elevated levels of IL-6 are associated with worse cancer outcomes.
The median IL-6 cut-off, above which the overall survival rates decrease with a variety of cancer types is >10 pg/mL.
Interleukin 6 - monitor cancer progression, inflammation.
Lab Corp Test Code 140916