Table 1.

Acute phase proteins in cancer.

Acute phase protein	Function	Cancer type	Reference
Haptoglobin (Hp)	– Iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein – Scavenger for free hemoglobin – Inhibitor of prostaglandin production – Regulator of leukocyte recruitment and cytokine release – Prognostic biomarker for NSCLC	Increased in ovarian, colorectal, pancreatic, breast and lung cancer	(10–14)
Serum amyloid A (SAA)	– Apolipoprotein associated with high-density lipoprotein – Regulator of cell-cell communication, inflammatory, immunologic, neoplastic and protective pathways – Prognostic biomarker for solid tumors	Increased in gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, NSCLC, melanoma, renal cancer, neuroblastoma	(15–20)
Ceruloplasmin (Cp)	– Major copper transport protein, oxidase – Protector against oxidative stress – Potential cancer biomarker	Increased in hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, cervical cancer, bile duct cancer	(21–24)
Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP, orosomucoid)	–Carrier of basic and neutrally charged lipophilic compounds – Potential biomarker in breast cancer	Increased in plasma and ascites of cancer patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, breast cancer	(7, 25)
Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1)	– Serine protease inhibitor – Inhibitor of tissue plasminogen activator and urokinase, – Pro-tumorigenic and anti-apoptotic – Stimulator of angiogenesis	Increased in breast, ovarian, bladder, colon cancer and NSCLC	(26–30)
C-reactive protein (CRP)	– Modulator of inflammatory processes and host responses to infection including complement pathway, apoptosis, phagocytosis, nitric oxide release, and production of cytokines – Prognostic marker for solid tumors including NSCLC	Increased in stomach, pancreas, colorectal, esophageal, ovarian, renal, breast cancer and NSCLC, melanoma, neuroblastoma	(5, 31, 32)
Alpha-2-macroglobulin (AMG)	– Broad spectrum protease inhibitor – Carrier of growth factors and cytokines – Antioxidant, anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory – Protects against radiation induced cell damage – Suggested biomarker for the diagnosis of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia	Decreased levels in more progressed prostate cancer; Increased levels in acute lymphoblastic leukemia	(33–35)
Alpha1-Antitrypsin (AAT)	– Broad spectrum protease inhibitor – Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory – Regulator of cell adhesion, migration, invasion, proliferation and angiogenesis – Anti-apoptotic – Prognostic marker	Increased serum levels in NSCLC, pancreas, prostate, cervix, ovary, breast, larynx and other carcinomas	(36–52)

NSCLC, non-small cell lung cancer.