Evaluating the clinical significance of tumor-expressed C-reactive protein in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Abstract C-reactive Protein (CRP) has been established as a prognostic biomarker in various malignancies, with elevated serum levels correlating with poorer outcomes. However, the significance of tissue-based CRP expression specifically in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC), remains inadequately characterized. This study investigates the potential prognostic relevance of intratumoral CRP expression from a substantial cohort of chRCC patients. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent surgical intervention for chRCC. Comprehensive clinical data was collected, and immunohistochemical evaluation of tumor specimens was performed to assess intratumoral CRP expression patterns. The study included 81 chRCC patients, with intratumoral CRP expression identified in 35 cases (43.2%). Statistical analysis revealed no significant correlation between CRP expression status and clinical parameters. While 5-year overall survival (OS) analysis showed no statistically significant difference between CRP-positive versus CRP-negative tumors (86.4% versus 100.0%; p  = 0.106), overall follow-up demonstrated a significantly higher mortality rate in patients with CRP-positive tumors compared to those with CRP-negative tumors (22.9% vs. 2.2%; p  = 0.013). Our findings suggest that intratumoral CRP expression in chRCC is not clearly associated with parameters of aggressiveness or survival. Further studies should assess the possible correlation between CRP tissue expression and blood levels. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution given the limited sample size, low event rate, and high loss to follow-up, and are best considered hypothesis-generating.