Background: Little is known about how C-reactive protein (CRP) genetic polymorphisms influence the rise in serum CRP levels seen after surgery. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between CRP polymorphisms and acute-phase serum CRP levels after esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer.
Study design: We enrolled 110 patients who underwent curative esophagectomy without neoadjuvant treatment between 2003 and 2008. Using peripheral blood samples collected from the patients, polymorphisms for CRP, tumor necrosis factor, interferon-gamma, tumor growth factor-beta1, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-6 receptor, IL-10, and IL-12beta were all investigated to determine which, if any, affect postoperative serum CRP levels and clinical outcomes.
Results: Although preoperative serum CRP levels did not differ, 12 hours after esophagectomy, serum CRP levels were significantly higher in patients carrying the CRP 1059G/G genotype than in those with the 1059G/C genotype (111 +/- 35 mg/L versus 78 +/- 17 mg/L; p = 0.0266), and after 36 hours CRP levels remained higher in those with the 1059G/G genotype (217 +/- 63 mg/L versus 140 +/- 51 mg/L; p = 0.0020). Logistic regression models revealed that patients carrying the CRP 1059G/G genotype had a significantly higher likelihood of a postesophagectomy increase in serum CRP, although the CRP 1059G>C genetic polymorphism had no effect on clinical outcomes. None of the other cytokine genetic polymorphisms influenced postoperative serum CRP levels.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the CRP 1059G>C genetic polymorphism is 1 determinant of serum CRP levels after major surgery.