C-reactive protein is a potential prognostic factor for metastatic gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM C-reactive protein (CRP) has been associated with the development of many carcinomas, but the significance of CRP remains unclear for metastatic gastric cancer (MGC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Sixty one patients who received S-1 plus cisplatin for MGC were retrospectively identified and categorized into two groups depending on the serum CRP level before chemotherapy. RESULTS Overall survival was significantly shorter in the CRP≥1.0 group than in the CRP<1.0 group (median, 292 days versus 451 days; p=0.0004). Moreover, progression-free survival was significantly shorter in the CRP≥1.0 group than in the CRP<1.0 group (median, 115 days versus 188 days; p=0.0010). In a multivariate analysis, serum CRP level before chemotherapy was an independent prognostic factor for MGC (hazard ratio 4.20 [95% CI, 1.66 to 10.64] p=0.002). CONCLUSION Serum CRP level before chemotherapy might be a potential prognostic factor for MGC.