Association of Elevated C-reactive Protein Levels With an Impaired Prognosis in Patients With Surgically Treated Endometrial Cancer

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether C-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels are associated with prognosis in surgically treated endometrial cancer. METHODS: In the present multicenter study, CRP serum levels were measured preoperatively in 403 surgically staged patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer. Results were correlated to clinical data. RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation) serum CRP level in patients with endometrial cancer was 1.0 (1.8) mg/dL. Serum CRP levels were associated with tumor stage (P=.01), but not with tumor grade (P=.8), lymph node involvement (P=.8), and age at diagnosis (P=.9). In a univariable survival analysis, serum CRP levels, tumor stage, tumor grade, and age at diagnosis were associated with disease-free and overall survival (all P <.001). In a multivariable Cox regression model, serum CRP levels (P=.001, P=.004), tumor stage (P <.001, P <.001), tumor grade (P=.02, P=.009), and age at diagnosis (P=.002, P=.001) were independent prognostic factors for disease-free and overall survival. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that elevated serum CRP levels are associated with a less favorable prognosis in patients with surgically treated endometrial cancer. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.