Comparison of C-reactive protein levels in patients with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish C-reactive protein (CRP) evels in serum of patients with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and evaluate the associations of CRP levels with clinicopathological characteristics. Materials and Methods: In total, 140 persons were included in the study: 43 patients with lung cancer, 34 patients with lung cancer and COPD, 42 patients with COPD, and 21 healthy subjects. CRP analysis was performed with a serum protein analyzer using commercially available highsensitivity reagent kits. Results: The C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in the lung cancer patients with or without COPD compared with the COPD patients or the control group (20.42±1.95 and 22.49±2.31 vs. 8.37±0.91 and 2.49±0.47 mg/L, respectively; P<0.01). The patients with advanced lung cancer had higher CRP levels compared with the patients suffering from early stage lung cancer (23.11±1.72 vs. 14.59±2.23 mg/L, P<0.01). The CRP levels were significantly higher in the patients with early stage lung cancer compared with the COPD patients (14.59±2.23 mg/L vs. 8.37±0.91 mg/L, P<0.05). No association was found between CRP and histology, lung function, and smoking status in the patients with lung cancer. Conclusions. Chronic inflammation plays an important role in both diseases: lung cancer and COPD. However, it seems that inflammation is more pronounced in patients with lung cancer, as the CRP levels were significantly higher in these patients than other groups.