Objective: To evaluate whether C-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels can be used as prognostic parameter in patients with vulvar cancer.
Study design: CRP serum levels were measured at the time of first diagnosis of squamous cell vulvar cancer. Sixty-seven patients were enrolled; results were correlated to clinical data.
Results: Mean CRP serum levels in patients with vulvar cancer were 0.8 (0.80)mg/dL. CRP serum levels were significantly associated with lymph node involvement (p=0.003), but not with tumor stage (p=0.03), histological grade (p=0.86) and patients' age (p=0.64). Univariate analysis showed lymph node involvement, tumor stage and histological grade, but not CRP serum levels and patients' age to be associated with overall survival. A multivariable analysis determined only lymph node involvement as independent prognostic parameter for disease-free interval and overall survival.
Conclusion: CRP serum levels are closely associated with lymph node status but cannot be used as prognostic parameter in patients with vulvar cancer.