CRP and neoplasm: Applying ROC analyses, the CRP value as a continuous metric variable exhibited an AUC (95% CI) of 0.73 (0.64 – 0.83; p<0.001) for the presence of metastatic disease at the time of surgery (lymph node or visceral metastasis), of 0.76 (0.67 – 0.85; p<0.001) for poor tumour differentiation (G3), and of 0.70 (0.60 – 0.80; p<0.001) for the presence of a muscle invasive stage.