C-Reactive Protein: A Biomarker for Mortality Assessment in Cancer-Related Infections

Introduction: Infection is a common complication in cancer patients. Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels can be used to assess disease activity in inflammatory and infectious conditions. This study aimed to determine the role of CRP level in predicting mortality in patients with cancer and infectious complications. Methods: This was a prospective study of solid and hematological cancer patients over 18 years of age undergoing hospital treatment. We used the Kaplan-Meier curve to obtain the median and overall survival. Cox regression analysis was used to determine the hazard ratio (HR) of CRP level in predicting mortality. Results: This study encompassed 40 participants. Analysis utilizing Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated increased mortality among individuals with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations compared to those with lower levels. The risk of death for patients with high CRP was 11.07 times greater (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.13 – 39.10; p<0.001). Subsequent to adjusting for other factors in a multivariate analysis, CRP levels exhibited an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.00 (95% CI 1.33 – 11.98; p=0.048). Discussion: Examining CRP levels at the time of diagnosis not only has a role as an inflammatory biomarker but can also help clinicians determine the severity of infection. Conclusion: The mortality risk in cancer patients experiencing infectious complications can be predicted using plasma CRP measurements. Key words: C-reactive protein, cancer, infection, mortality.