Revisiting the clinical usefulness of C-reactive protein in the set of cancer cachexia

Cancer cachexia is a highly complex multifactorial disorder that is often misdiagnosed, leading to suboptimal health outcomes. Indeed, cachexia is a concern in cancer, typifying lower response to treatment and risk of death. Thus, efforts have been made to better understand the molecular basis of this syndrome, envisioning to improve its diagnosis and management. C-reactive protein (CRP) has been reported to be consistently increased in the circulation of patients with body wasting associated to chronic diseases. However, the role of CRP in the pathogenesis of cachexia remains elusive. Several hypotheses have been advanced but most of experimental findings support an indirect effect on the activation of muscle proteolysis, mostly through its interplay with pro-inflammatory cytokines. Herein, we overview the contribution of CRP to body wasting and its putative biomarker value for the diagnosis and follow-up of the therapeutic management of cachexia.