Prognostic value of the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

PURPOSE The present study was designed to retrospectively evaluate the prognostic value of the C-reactive protein/albumin (CRP/ALB) ratio in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). METHODS One hundred and twenty-nine newly diagnosed LSCC patients admitted between May 2006 and October 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Their serum CRP and ALB were quantified preoperatively. The relationship between the CRP/ALB ratio and the clinicopathologic features was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to calculate the prognostic value of the CRP/ALB ratio. Then, the Cox proportional hazards model was used in univariate and multivariate analyses to identify significant prognostic factors associated with disease-free survival and overall survival. RESULTS The cutoff value for CRP/ALB ratio was 0.047. An elevated CRP/ALB ratio was significantly associated with nodal metastasis, late disease stage, and recurrence. Also, high values of CRP/ALB ratio were significant predictors for poor overall survival and disease-free survival on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION Pretreatment CRP/ALB ratio may be a significant prognostic marker in LSCC.