C-reactive protein serum levels are closely associated with lymph node status, but not with prognosis in patients with vulvar cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether C-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels can be used as prognostic parameter in patients with vulvar cancer.


METHODS
CRP serum levels were measured at the time of first diagnosis of squamous cell vulvar cancer. Sixty-seven patients were enrolled; results were correlated to clinical data.


RESULTS
Mean CRP serum levels in patients with vulvar cancer were 0.8 (0.80)mg/dL. CRP serum levels were significantly associated with lymph node involvement (p=0.003), but not with tumor stage (p=0.03), histological grade (p=0.86) and patients' age (p=0.64). Univariate analysis showed lymph node involvement, tumor stage and histological grade, but not CRP serum levels and patients' age to be associated with overall survival. A multivariable analysis determined only lymph node involvement as independent prognostic parameter for disease-free interval and overall survival.


CONCLUSIONS
CRP serum levels are closely associated with lymph node status but cannot be used as prognostic parameter in patients with vulvar cancer.
Six
Lucia
L
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
Polterauer
Stephan
S
Grimm
Christoph
C
Seebacher
Veronika
V
Tempfer
Clemens
C
Heinze
Georg
G
Joura
Elmar
E
Reinthaller
Alexander
A
Hefler
Lukas A
LA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006119:Groin; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein