Procalcitonin as a Marker of Infection in Cancer Patients
Procalcitonin as a Marker of Infection in Cancer Patients
Infections pose a serious threat to cancer patients in chemotherapy. Prompt diagnosis and
 treatment is of paramount importance as infections may be life-threatening in
 immune-compromised individuals. Traditionally, the C-reactive protein (CRP) has been used as
 a marker of infection. However, the CRP is also often elevated in cancer patients and as a
 marker CRP may be unreliable in cancer patients. Other markers for infection includes
 procalcitonin which has been showed to be of some value for the diagnose of bacterial
 infections.

 This study examines procalcitonin as a potential marker of bacterial infection in cancer
 patients.
Purpose of the study:

 Is pro calcitonin a marker for bacterial infection in cancer patients? Is pro calcitonin
 better than C-reactive-protein to identify cancer patients with a bacterial infection?

 Background:

 Infections, in particular bacterial, pose a major threat to cancer patients as treatment
 related immuno-suppression and general weakness increase risk and severity of infections.
 Prompt identification of patients with a bacterial infection is necessary. Traditionally,
 fever, leucocytosis and elevated c-reactive protein (CRP) have been used in the evaluation in
 patients with suspected infection. How-ever, fever may be reduced by analgesics and steroids,
 leucocytes may be decreased due to anticancer therapy and CRP is in some cases elevated by
 the cancer disease as such. The diagnosis of bacterial infection is thus more difficult in
 cancer patients. Recently, pro-calcitonin (PCT) (her dækker maja's godt)

 Design of the study:

 Two groups will be included in this study:

 Group I includes patients in anti-cancer therapy including chemo and radiotherapy, targeted
 treatment and radiotherapy but not hormone treatment, and without any sign of infection
 defined as temperature < 38 C and no focal symptoms of infections. Vital signs are noted and
 blood tests for haematology, CPR and PCT are drawn. Details about cancer type, stage,
 treatment history of infections less than 1 month prior and co-morbidity are registered. Data
 from this cohort will be used to assess median CRP and PCT among non-infected cancer
 patients. Forty patients will be included.

 Group II includes patients in anti-cancer therapy including chemo and radiotherapy, targeted
 treatment and radiotherapy but not hormone treatment, who is hospitalized with suspected
 infection (temp> 38 last 24 hours). At the time of hospitalization, vital signs are noted and
 blood tests for haematology, CPR and PCT are drawn. Details about cancer type, stage,
 treatment history of infections less than 1 month prior and co-morbidity are registered. All
 hospitals records are reviewed after discharge to determine if a certain diagnosis of
 infection (positive bacteriology), probable infection (negative bacteriology but clinical
 course consistent with bacterial infection) or non infection was made. Data from this cohort
 will be used to assess the role of CRP and PCT in prediction of bacterial infection. Forty
 patients will be included in this study.
Inclusion Criteria:

 Gr I: In-patients in anticancer therapy for a solid cancer with confirmed bacterial
 infection Gr II: Patients in anticancer therapy without any signs or symptoms of infection.

 Both groups: Informed consent

 Exclusion Criteria:

 None

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