title: C-reactive protein and colorectal cancer mortality in U.S. adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic inflammation has been associated with colorectal cancer. Prediagnostic levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a highly sensitive marker of inflammation, have been weakly associated with increased colorectal cancer incidence, but few data are available examining its relationship with colorectal cancer mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 65% of the 15,924 adult participants had CRP levels ≤0.21 mg/dL. Using this as the reference group, we calculated hazard ratios (HR) for higher CRP categories and colorectal cancer mortality, and compared them with HRs for other mortality causes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over a median follow-up period of 14.2 years, there were 92 deaths from colorectal cancer. Compared with the reference group, multivariable adjusted HRs for colorectal cancer mortality were 2.66 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.36-5.20] for CRP levels 0.22-0.50 mg/dL; 3.40 (95% CI, 1.48-7.77) for levels 0.51-1.00 mg/dL; and 3.96 (95% CI, 1.64-9.52) for levels >1.00 mg/dL. Estimates for colorectal cancer mortality did not change appreciably after excluding deaths within the first 3 years or by limiting follow-up to 5 or 10 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a large representative study of U.S. adults, we observed strong dose-response associations between CRP levels and colorectal cancer mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further evaluation of CRP may help identify high-risk groups for colorectal cancer screening and those who might benefit most from prophylactic anti-inflammatory therapy.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and.
authors.forename: Abhishek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center; Departments of.
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health;
authors.forename: Zhezhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center; Departments of Medicine and Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York aas54@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Abby B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Siegel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein