[Prognostic Value of Preoperative Serum C-Reactive Protein Level in Gastric Cancer].

Background: This study investigated the prognostic value of preoperative serum C-reactive protein(CRP)level in patients with gastric cancer(GC).

Methods: This retrospective study examined 446GC patients undergoing curative gastrectomy. The associations between preoperative CRP level and postoperative long-term outcomes were examined by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results: The patients were divided into high(n=147)or low(n=299)CRP groups based on an optimal cut- off CRP value of 0.13mg/dL according to the ROC curve analysis. High CRP levels were significantly associated with other clinical factors such as older age(B65 years), high BMI(B25 kg/m2), poor performance status(PS), and advanced cT and cN+. In the survival analyses using only the clinical factors, high CRP levels were significantly associated with worse 5-year overall and cancer-specific survivals. The multivariate analysis for 5-year overall survival identified preoperative CRP to be an independent factor(HR: 1.95, 95%CI: 1.15-3.36, p=0.0129), as well as PS, tumor location, and cT.

Conclusion: Preoperative CRP level could be a useful prognostic indicator in patients with GC undergoing curative gastrectomy.