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Published on: October 14, 2015
Changes in pre-diagnostic serum C-reactive protein concentrations and ovarian cancer risk: a longitudinal study
A T Toriola1, K Grankvist, C B Agborsangaya
1National Institute for Health and Welfare, Oulu, Finland. Adetunji.toriola@uta.fi
Background:
Evidence suggests that inflammation may be associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer but there is paucity of studies investigating this association, especially using over-time changes in inflammatory biomarkers.
Materials And Methods:
We conducted a prospective population-based case-control study nested within the Finnish Maternity Cohort (FMC). Within the FMC, 170 women with ovarian cancer who had donated serum samples to the cohort twice, ≥1 year apart, before cancer diagnoses were identified. One control per case was matched for age, parity and sampling date.
Results:
Comparing the highest with lowest tertiles, the odds ratio (OR) of ovarian cancer using the first set of serum samples (mean lag time to cancer diagnosis 9.0 years) was 1.62 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-2.83]. However, analysis conducted using the second set of serum samples donated closer to cancer diagnosis (mean lag time 6.4 years) revealed a significantly increased risk of ovarian cancer comparing extreme tertiles of C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations; OR 1.96 (95% CI 1.11-3.4). Over time, increases in individuals' CRP concentrations were also associated with increased risk; OR 1.90 (95% CI 1.12-3.23).
Conclusion:
The results suggest that inflammation may precede ovarian cancer since increasing CRP concentrations, both across tertiles and longitudinally at the individual level, were associated with increased risk.
