Simple stratification of survival using bone scan and serum C-reactive protein in prostate cancer patients with metastases.
BACKGROUND
IL-6 has been reported to be a significant prognostic factor for prostate cancer and induces synthesis of C-reactive protein (CRP) by hepatocytes. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical value of serum CRP in prostate cancer patients with metastases.


METHODS
The prognostic significance of serum CRP as well as tumor histology, extent of disease (EOD) on bone scan, serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and hemoglobin was assessed using Cox's proportional hazards model analyses in 126 prostate cancer patients with metastases treated with endocrine therapy.


RESULTS
Serum levels of CRP, PSA and ALP significantly increased and hemoglobin significantly decreased with advancing EOD grade. Univariate analysis demonstrated that EOD, CRP, PSA, ALP, hemoglobin and tumor histology are significantly associated with disease-specific survival. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that serum CRP and EOD were significant prognostic factors. The 5-year survival rates in low-risk patients (CRP < or = 0.15 mg/dl and EOD < or = 1) and high-risk patients (CRP > 0.15 mg/dl and EOD > or = 2) were 74 and 24%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that a combination of serum CRP and EOD can identify patients with a poor prognosis who may be candidates for innovative treatments among prostate cancer patients with metastases.
Nakashima
Jun
J
Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. njun@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
Kikuchi
Eiji
E
Miyajima
Akira
A
Nakagawa
Ken
K
Oya
Mototsugu
M
Ohigashi
Takashi
T
Murai
Masaru
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D015996:Survival Rate
D002097:C-Reactive Protein