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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #199389
Title: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF SERUM C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND COLORECTAL CANCER RISK IN MEN

Author
item GUNTER, MARC - NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
item STOLZENBERG-SOLOMON, RACHAEL - NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
item CROSS, AMANDA - NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
item LEITZMANN, MICHAEL - NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
item WEINSTEIN, STEPHANIE - NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
item Wood, Richard
item VIRTAMO, JARMO - HELSINKI, FINLAND
item TAYLOR, PHILIP - NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
item ALBANES, DEMETRIOUS - NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
item SINHA, RAHMI - NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

Submitted to: Cancer Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/16/2005
Publication Date: 2/15/2006
Citation: Gunter, M.J., Stolzenberg-Solomon, R., Cross, A.J., Leitzmann, M.F., Weinstein, S., Wood, R.J., Virtamo, J., Taylor, P.R., Albanes, D., Sinha, R. 2006. A prospective study of serum c-reactive protein and colorectal cancer risk in men. Cancer Research. 66(4):2483-7.

Interpretive Summary: Chronic inflammation has been implicated in the etiology of colorectal cancer. C-reactive protein (CRP), a sensitive marker of inflammation, has been investigated with regard to colorectal cancer in only three previous studies and results from these investigations are inconsistent. We examined serum CRP levels in relation to colorectal cancer incidence in colorectal cancer cases in a study of Finnish males. There were 130 colorectal cancer cases with available blood and 260 matched controls. Baseline median CRP levels were approximately 25% higher among colorectal cancer cases than controls. Relative to men with lower levels of inflammation, men with the highest amount of inflammation had about a 3 fold increase in risk of developing colorectal cancer. These results support the notion that chronic low-grade inflammation is a marker for increased risk of colorectal cancer.

Technical Abstract: Chronic inflammation has been implicated in the etiology of colorectal cancer. C-reactive protein (CRP), a sensitive marker of inflammation, has been investigated with regard to colorectal cancer in only three previous studies and results from these investigations are inconsistent. We examined serum CRP levels in relation to colorectal cancer incidence in a nested case-control study within the Alpha Tocopherol, Beta Carotene (ATBC) Cancer Prevention Study, a cohort of 29,133 Finnish males enrolled from 1985-88 with follow-up through April 2002. Colorectal cancer cases were ascertained by the Finnish Cancer Registry, and this analysis included 130 colorectal cancer cases with available blood, which occurred between 1990 and the end of follow-up and 260 matched controls. Baseline median CRP levels were approximately 25% higher among colorectal cancer cases (3.4 mg/L) than controls (2.6 mg/L) (P = 0.04). Relative to men in the lowest quartile of CRP concentration, men in the highest quartile had an OR of 2.9 (95% CI = 1.4-6.0) for developing colorectal cancer with a dose response relationship supported (P trend = 0.006). The relation between CRP and incident colorectal cancer was modified by BMI such that the association was stronger among lean individuals than heavier individuals (P interaction = 0.018). These results support the notion that chronic low-grade inflammation is a marker for increased risk of colorectal cancer.