Comparison of C-reactive Protein Levels in Patients with Lung Cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Neringa Vagulienė¹, Marius Žemaitis¹, Skaidrius Miliauskas¹, Daiva Urbonienė², Brigita Šitkauskienė¹, Raimundas Sakalauskas¹

¹Department of Pulmonology and Immunology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, ²Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Lithuania

Key words: lung cancer; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; C-reactive protein; chronic inflammation.

Summary. Objective. The aim of this study was to establish C-reactive protein (CRP) levels 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.

Correspondence to N. Vagulienė, Department of Pulmonology and Immunology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių 2, 50028 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: neringa.vaguliene@gmail.com

Received 18 July 2011, accepted 31 August 2011