title: Evaluation of the prognostic meaning of C-reactive protein (CRP) in children and adolescents with classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In adult cancer patients the negative predictive value of elevated CRP levels has been described for several malignancies. Only few studies have analyzed the prognostic role of CRP in children and adolescents with classical HL. In these studies elevated CRP levels correlate with the presence of classical risk factors and adverse outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prognostic role of CRP for patients with classical HL admitted to the GPOH-HD-2002 study was analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CRP levels were documented for 369 of 573 patients. Significant (p<0.05) increased median CRP levels were found in the presence of B-Symptoms (25.7 vs. 5.1 mg/l), extranodal involvement (21.5 vs. 7.5 mg/l), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, 13.0 vs. 1.0 mg/l) and stage III/IV disease (15.5 vs. 5.3 mg/l). 83.9% of patients with elevated and 45.8% of patients with normal CRP had an ESR >30 mm/h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated CRP levels were associated with classical risk factors of HL. CRP and ESR may reflect different biological processes. CRP was prognostic within early stage TG-1 patients treated with reduced treatment, but not within advanced stage TG-2+3.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle Wittenberg, Halle/Saale, Germany. roland.haase@uk-halle.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haase
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vilser
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mauz-Körholz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hasenclever
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kluge
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ruschke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borkhardt
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seeger
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehrnbecher
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kulozik
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rößler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burdach
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jürgens
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Körholz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein