Serum C-reactive protein as a prognostic factor in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

Objective: It is well known that the serum level of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) correlates with the level of C-reactive protein (CRP). The purpose of this study is to determine the significance of CRP as a prognostic factor in epithelial ovarian cancer. Study Design: The present study is comprised of 120 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer from 1985 to 1992. In this study, CRP levels above 50 mg/l were considered high CRP. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify clinicopathological variables associated with poor survival. Results: The serum CRP value was significantly associated with the volume of ascites (P=0.000004). Univariate analysis showed that the FIGO stage, primary tumour diameter, size of residual tumour, histologic grade, volume of ascites and high serum level of CRP were significant prognostic factors. Cox's multivariate proportional hazard model showed that histologic grade was the most important prognostic factor (P=0.0026). PICO stage and volume of ascites were also independent factors for 5-year survival (P=0.0310 and P=0.0216, respectively). However, the serum CRP value was not an independent prognostic factor. Conclusion: CRP is an adverse prognostic factor in univariate analysis, but not in multivariate analysis. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.