Cancer

Platelet and crp in how it indicate

12/03/2007 10:00PM

Question:

I have sarcoidosis. But prior to the diagnosis I had a area with elarge nodes that my doctors have been monitoring for several years. I also have third diagnosis of arthritis. Two the blood markers I have checked every feq months are my platelet count and crp levels. They have been both elevated since my speenectomy, which is the pathology that allowed to know I have sarcoidosis. I take methotrexate 10mg week. My platelet anc crp counts are elevated and are really high at times. Platelets range from 600 to 900 +. Crp has better than 2 times normal, but had a slow elevated progression. I have a real feeling that cancer might be a possibility. What can I bring up that might get my doctors to consider cancer only. I do not understand the relationship bewteen platelet and the crp count. Thank you very much for your help

Answer:

Certainly if you have any concerns about your health, including cancer, you should ask you doctors directly. Ask them why they are checking these blood tests.
Many rheumatologic conditions can affect blood counts, such as platelets. The C-RP is a marker of inflammation; platelets can also be elevated when there is inflammation and the hall mark of rheumatologic disease is inflammation. So, both of these tests can be abnormal in rheumatologic conditions and may not necessarily be related. We cannot tell you if you have cancer or not; cancer is diagnosed by biopsy of an abnormal tissue. Talk to your doctors about whether they think you have a problem that requires a biopsy.

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Response by:

Joanna M Brell, MD
Assistant Professor
Division of Hematology/Oncology
Ireland Cancer Center
University Hospitals
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University