C-reactive Protein and Albumin Based Predictive Indices in Canine Cancer

Abstract

Inflammation is believed to be one of the hallmarks of cancer. Inflammatory mechanisms play a role in cancer development as well as progression and metastasis. Systemic inflammation has been demonstrated in multiple neoplastic processes in humans. A well standardised and readily available method to assess systemic inflammation is the measurement of acute phase proteins. CRP and albumin being a major positive and a negative acute phase protein respectively appear to be an attractive way to assess systemic inflammation in patients suffering from neoplastic diseases. Their ratio (CRP to albumin ratio, CAR) as well as prognostic scores, namely the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) and the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) offers a combination to assess them together in a single parameter.