Old wine in new bottles: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a promising tumor marker in thymic epithelial tumors

Tumor markers in the serum of cancer patients, regardless whether they are “molecular” (such as cell free tumor DNA and others) or biochemical, are an indispensable tool for the screening and monitoring of patients with malignant diseases. The fact that hardly any of the most broadly used tumor markers is specific for a given tumor entity does not diminish their great value for multiple purposes, which range from screening and diagnosis (e.g., germ cell tumors) to staging or prognostication.