C-reactive protein as a prognostic factor in patients with chordoma of lumbar spine and sacrum--a single center pilot study

This is a retrospective, diagnostic study, level IV. It appears to be necessary to identify prognostic markers for individual risk estimation for progression and survival in patients with chordoma, a rare disease. Are pre-operative serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) associated with disease progression and survival? Survival rates of 24 patients (18 males, 6 females) (mean age 67 years (SD ± 16; range 20-85 years); minimum follow-up 2 years, mean follow-up 5 years (SD ± 5; range 2-19 years)) with chordoma of the lower spine and sacrum were assessed with a focus on pre-operative CRP levels. The survival rate of patients with pre-operative CRP level of >1.0 mg/dl was lower than that of patients with a CRP level