Inflammation values too high – is this an indication of cancer?
Inflammation values in blood tests can be changed in a whole range of diseases, but often without an explainable cause. For example, simple inflammatory processes on the one hand, but also autoimmune diseases and tissue damage of any kind can lead to an increase in inflammation parameters. At the same time, however, they are also often altered (both too high and too low) without this having any disease value.
However, since malignant tumor diseases, due to their invasive, suppressive growth, also cause tissue damage, increased inflammation values can actually be an indication of cancer. However, the assumption that a tumor disease is behind increased inflammation values is usually only made if there are appropriate clinical symptoms or no other explanation can be found. Symptoms typical of cancer include severe unintentional weight loss of several kilograms, night sweats and fever (summarized as so-called B symptoms).
Increased inflammation during pregnancy – what could be the cause?
A pregnancy is always associated with an extreme adjustment of the body to its new situation. This affects many areas of the body, such as the vital parameters. Breathing as well as circulation must be upregulated, because the child must be supplied with nutrients in addition to its own body.
At the same time, the need for calories and nutrients increases and the hormone balance is subject to fluctuations and changes. At the same time, some parameters in blood laboratory diagnostics also change. Among other things, it is perfectly normal and healthy if the inflammation values, above all the C-reactive protein (CRP), the blood sedimentation rate (BSG) and the leukocyte count (number of white blood cells) increase steadily with the duration of the pregnancy.
This increase in inflammatory parameters is usually mild, comparable to mild flu-like infections. At the same time, however, they should not be greatly increased, as this can actually pose a threat to the course of birth and the well-being of the child. The CRP, for example, should not exceed a value of about 10 – 50 mg/l (note the unit of measurement!). If you are still unsure about your blood values during pregnancy, it is advisable to consult your family doctor or gynecologist as soon as possible. If the inflammation values are clearly too high, it is important to check them regularly and look for possible causes, because abnormal inflammation values can generally have many causes, both harmless and dangerous.
