AUTHOR=Wach Johannes , Apallas Stefanos , Schneider Matthias , Güresir Agi , Schuss Patrick , Herrlinger Ulrich , Vatter Hartmut , Güresir Erdem 

TITLE=Baseline Serum C-Reactive Protein and Plasma Fibrinogen-Based Score in the Prediction of Survival in Glioblastoma

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.653614

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2021.653614

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> The present study investigates a score based on baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen values (FC score) in 173 consecutive glioblastoma (GBM) patients.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> The optimal cut-off value for fibrinogen and CRP was defined as 3.5 g/dl and 3.0 mg/L, respectively, according to previous reports. Patients with elevated CRP and fibrinogen were classified with a score of 2, those with an elevation of only one of these parameters were allocated a score of 1, and those without any abnormalities were assigned a score of 0.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> No significant differences in age, gender, tumor area, molecular pathology, physical status, or extent of resection were identified among the three groups defined by this score. Univariate survival analysis demonstrated that a high baseline FC score (≥1) is significantly associated with a shortened overall survival (OS) (HR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.05–2.20, <italic>p</italic> = 0.027). A multivariate Cox regression analysis considering age (&gt;65/≤65), extent of resection (GTR/STR), MGMT promoter status (hypermethylated/non-hypermethylated), and FC score (0/≥1) confirmed that an elevated FC score (≥1) is an independent predictor of shortened OS (HR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.16–2.51, <italic>p</italic> = 0.006).</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> The baseline fibrinogen and CRP score thus serves as an independent predictor of OS in GBM. Further investigations of the role of inflammation in the prediction of a prognosis are needed.</p>