What does the CRP value say about the course of a cancer disease? | CRP value in a cancerous disease

What does the CRP value say about the course of a cancer disease?

If the CRP is elevated in the context of a cancerous disease, it can be used to assess the course of the disease in the context of a therapy, for example chemotherapy or radiation. Even after a successful surgical removal of the tumour, the CRP should decrease again if it was caused by the tumour. However, it must be noted that the CRP is very unspecific and can increase, especially during surgery and radiotherapy, due to the associated tissue damage. The CRP value is therefore not suitable as the sole marker for estimating the course of the disease or the success of its treatment, but must always be assessed in the context of other blood values, possible imaging such as CT or MRI, and of course the patient’s symptoms. Depending on the tumour, further specific follow-up examinations should still be carried out, but these cannot be discussed in detail here.

Is the CRP always elevated in cancer?

Cancer may be associated with an elevated CRP, but this is one of the non-specific laboratory values. Therefore it is quite possible that a malignant event does not lead to an increased CRP.

Which laboratory values can also be altered in cancer diseases?

In many cancers, unspecific laboratory values are elevated directly or indirectly due to the tumor. In addition to CRP, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), for example, is one such value. LDH is found in all cells.

If many cells perish, as is the case with rapidly growing tumours, a lot of LDH enters the bloodstream where it can be detected. However, this can also happen with muscle injuries, liver diseases, poisoning and many other processes. Other examples of such unspecific laboratory values are liver enzymes, pancreatic enzymes, blood cell counts and many more.

Tumour markers, on the other hand, are usually proteins that are also detectable in healthy people, but whose increased concentration can indicate a particular tumour or its recurrence. Many of these tumour markers have already been discovered, well-known examples being alpha-1-fetoprotein in hepatocellular carcinomas and germ cell tumours or β-HCG in ovarian and testicular cancer. However, it must also be noted that tumour markers alone are not proof of a tumour and must always be further clarified.

What other causes can an increased CRP have?

Although a CRP value can in principle indicate a malignant event, the causes for an increase in CRP are extremely varied and can also be of a comparatively harmless nature. In general, CRP is the body’s first reaction to all sorts of events that it tries to combat with an inflammation. During this process, the unspecific immune system is first activated, which leads to a so-called acute phase.

During this phase, acute phase proteins are produced and released into the blood, especially by the liver, to which the CRP belongs. The CRP has the task of binding to pathogens such as bacteria and thereby marking them. In particular macrophages (scavenger cells) are attracted and activated by this, which leads to further immune reactions.

In addition, the CRP is involved in the control of the complement system, which also belongs to the unspecific immune system. Frequent reasons for an increased CRP are therefore, in addition to malignant diseases: bacterial or viral infections rheumatic diseases chronic inflammatory intestinal diseases autoimmune diseases tissue loss e.g. heart attack or pancreatitis bone fractures burns and frostbite major operations You would like to know how you can lower your CRP value? – bacterial or viral infections

  • Rheumatic illnesses
  • Chronic inflammatory bowel disease
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Tissue loss, e.g. in case of heart attack or pancreatitis
  • Broken bones
  • Burns and frostbites
  • Major operations

All articles in this series:

  1. CRP value in a cancerous disease
  2. What does the CRP value say about the course of a cancer disease?