Editing C-reactive protein (section)

=== Cancer ===

The role of inflammation in cancer is not well understood. Some organs of the body show greater risk of cancer when they are chronically inflamed.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lu H, Ouyang W, Huang C | title = Inflammation, a key event in cancer development | journal = Molecular Cancer Research | volume = 4 | issue = 4 | pages = 221–233 | date = April 2006 | pmid = 16603636 | doi = 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-05-0261 | doi-access = free }}</ref>  While there is an association between increased levels of C-reactive protein and risk of developing cancer, there is no association between genetic polymorphisms influencing circulating levels of CRP and cancer risk.<ref name="pmid22035340">{{cite journal | vauthors = Allin KH, Nordestgaard BG | title = Elevated C-reactive protein in the diagnosis, prognosis, and cause of cancer | journal = Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences | volume = 48 | issue = 4 | pages = 155–170 | year = 2011 | pmid = 22035340 | doi = 10.3109/10408363.2011.599831 | s2cid = 40322991 }}</ref>

In a 2004 [[prospective cohort study]] on colon cancer risk associated with CRP levels, people with [[colon cancer]] had higher average CRP concentrations than people without colon cancer.<ref name="pmid14762037">{{cite journal | vauthors = Erlinger TP, Platz EA, Rifai N, Helzlsouer KJ | title = C-reactive protein and the risk of incident colorectal cancer | journal = JAMA | volume = 291 | issue = 5 | pages = 585–590 | date = February 2004 | pmid = 14762037 | doi = 10.1001/jama.291.5.585 | doi-access = free }}</ref> It can be noted that the average CRP levels in both groups were well within the range of CRP levels usually found in healthy people. However, these findings may suggest that low inflammation level can be associated with a lower risk of colon cancer, concurring with previous studies that indicate [[Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug|anti-inflammatory drugs]] could lower colon cancer risk.<ref name="pmid12621133">{{cite journal | vauthors = Baron JA, Cole BF, Sandler RS, Haile RW, Ahnen D, Bresalier R, McKeown-Eyssen G, Summers RW, Rothstein R, Burke CA, Snover DC, Church TR, Allen JI, Beach M, Beck GJ, Bond JH, Byers T, Greenberg ER, Mandel JS, Marcon N, Mott LA, Pearson L, Saibil F, van Stolk RU | title = A randomized trial of aspirin to prevent colorectal adenomas | journal = The New England Journal of Medicine | volume = 348 | issue = 10 | pages = 891–899 | date = March 2003 | pmid = 12621133 | doi = 10.1056/NEJMoa021735 | doi-access = free }}</ref>