ONCOmmunity

Pre-diagnostic C-reactive protein concentrations, CRP genetic variation and mortality among individuals with colorectal cancer in Western European populations

By: Nimptsch, Katharina, Aleksandrova, Krasimira, Fedirko, Veronika, Jenab, Mazda, Gunter, Marc J., Siersema, Peter D., Wu, Kana, Katzke, Verena, Kaaks, Rudolf, Panico, Salvatore, Palli, Domenico, May, Anne M, Sieri, Sabina, Bueno-de-Mesquita, Bas, Standahl, Karina, Sánchez, Maria-Jose, Perez-Cornago, Aurora, Olsen, Anja , Tjønneland, Anne, Bonet, Catalina Bonet, Dahm, Christina C., Chirlaque, María-Dolores, Fiano, Valentina, Tumino, Rosario, Gurrea, Aurelio Barricarte, Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine, Menegaux, Florence, Severi, Gianluca, van Guelpen, Bethany, Lee, Young-Ae, Pischon, Tobias

BioMed Central
2022-06-24; doi: 10.1186/s12885-022-09778-9

Abstract

Background

The role of elevated pre-diagnostic C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations on mortality in individuals with colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear.

Methods

We investigated the association between pre-diagnostic high-sensitivity CRP concentrations and CRP genetic variation associated with circulating CRP and CRC-specific and all-cause mortality based on data from 1,235 individuals with CRC within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results

During a median follow-up of 9.3 years, 455 CRC-specific deaths were recorded, out of 590 deaths from all causes. Pre-diagnostic CRP concentrations were not associated with CRC-specific (hazard ratio, HR highest versus lowest quintile 0.92, 95% confidence interval, CI 0.66, 1.28) or all-cause mortality (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.68, 1.21). Genetic predisposition to higher CRP (weighted score based on alleles of four CRP SNPs associated with higher circulating CRP) was not significantly associated with CRC-specific mortality (HR per CRP-score unit 0.95, 95% CI 0.86, 1.05) or all-cause mortality (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.90, 1.07). Among four investigated CRP genetic variants, only SNP rs1205 was significantly associated with CRC-specific (comparing the CT and CC genotypes with TT genotype, HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.35, 0.83 and HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38, 0.88, respectively) and all-cause mortality (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.40, 0.85 and 0.64, 95% CI 0.44, 0.92, respectively).

Conclusions

The results of this prospective cohort study do not support a role of pre-diagnostic CRP concentrations on mortality in individuals with CRC. The observed associations with rs1205 deserve further scientific attention.