title: Pre-treatment C-reactive protein as a prognostic factor for recurrence after surgical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the prognostic value of pre-treatment C-reactive protein (CRP) after surgical resection (SR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 298 patients with HCC who underwent SR were analyzed. They were categorized into a CRP-positive group (group A: CRP >0.2 mg/dl, n=130) and a CRP-negative group (group B: CRP <0.2 mg/dl, n=168). Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1- and 3-year cumulative OS rates were 87.0% and 68.3% in group A and 95.9% and 81.1% in group B (p=0.194). The corresponding RFS rates were 61.6% and 30.3% in group A and 77.2% and 44.9% in group B (p=0.004). In multivariate analysis, the pre-treatment CRP level was a significant prognostic factor linked to RFS (p=0.046).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-treatment CRP levels may be a useful predictor of recurrence after SR for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka Red Cross Hospital, 5-30 Fudegasaki-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka 543-0027, Japan. h-nishikawa@osaka-med.jrc.or.jp
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arimoto
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakasa
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Osaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000097:blood*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein