The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) has been reported as a useful tool for predicting the prognosis of many diseases; however, there is currently little research on the relationship between GNRI and outcomes in elderly colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. This study aimed to explore the value of GNRI in evaluating postoperative complication risk and long-term prognosis in elderly CRC patients. Patients and Methods: The medical records of 230 CRC patients aged≥65 years who underwent surgery between January 2012 and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into abnormal and normal GNRI groups by modified binary classification. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between GNRI and complication risk. The Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test was used to construct survival curves. The Cox proportional hazard model was used for univariate, multivariate and subgroup survival analyses to assess the relationship between GNRI and long-term prognosis. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that GNRI (p = 0.009, HR 2.280, 95% CI: 1.224-4.247) was an independent risk factor for postoperative complications in elderly CRC patients. Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that the abnormal GNRI group had significantly lower disease-free survival (DFS; p = 0.005) and overall survival (OS; p=0.007) than the normal GNRI group had, especially in TNM I stage. In multivariate survival analysis, GNRI was an independent prognostic factor for DFS (p = 0.003, HR 1.842, 95% CI: 1.229-2.760) and OS (p = 0.003, HR 1.852, 95% CI: 1.231-2.787). Conclusion: GNRI is a simple and effective tool for predicting the risk of postoperative complications and the long-term prognosis of postoperative elderly CRC patients and can provide a scientific basis for early nutrition interventions in elderly CRC patients.

L3 skeletal muscle index (L3SMI) was reportedly related to postoperative outcomes. We aimed to investigate the value of L3SMI in evaluating preoperative nutritional risk and long-term prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. We retrospectively enrolled 400 CRC patients who underwent surgery from January 2012 to December 2014. The L3SMI was calculated by preoperative computed tomography (CT) and classified into two groups by gender quartile method. We found that the CT diagnostic criteria of sarcopenia in South China population was: male ≤38.89cm 2 /m 2 , female ≤33.28cm 2 /m 2. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that low L3SMI was an independent risk factor for preoperative nutritional risk (p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that low status group had significantly lower disease-free survival (p = 0.004) and overall survival (p = 0.001), especially in TNM II stage. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed preoperative low L3SMI adversely affected disease-free survival (p < 0.001, HR 1.894 (95% CI: 1.330-2.698)), and overall survival (p < 0.001, HR 2.030 (95% CI: 1.420-2.902)). In conclusion, L3SMI is a useful supplement for screening preoperative nutritional risk and diagnosing sarcopenia, and a potential clinical indicator that can be used to predict the prognosis of CRC patients, especially TNM stage II patients. Colorectal cancer (CRC) has become the third most common malignant tumor worldwide. According to the 2018 Global Cancer Epidemiological Statistics (GLOBOCAN) database, there are approximately 1.09 million new cases of CRC (morbidity rate of 6.1%), and approximately 551,000 people (mortality rate 9.2%) die from CRC each year, making CRC the second deadliest cancer in the world 1. CRC has become the fifth most usual malignant cancer and the fourth deadliest malignant cancer in China, with the incidence gradually increasing 2. At present, surgical resection is still the mainstay curative treatment for CRC, but the 5-year survival rate for large numbers of CRC patients after R0 resection is still unsatisfactory 3,4. Therefore, prognostic factors for CRC patients are critical in guiding treatment options and follow-up strategies. In recent years, several studies have shown that sarcopenia and malnutrition seriously influence the quality of life and prognosis of cancer patients 5,6. Sarcopenia is characterized by a decline in muscle mass and function associated with aging, lack of activity and chronic diseases including various malignancies. Skeletal muscle reduction is a key feature of sarcopenia, which is also associated with poor nutrition and survival prognosis in cancer patients 7. Malnutrition is common in CRC patients, which results from a combination of malignant disease progression, host tumor responses, anticancer therapies and the direct effects of intestinal obstruction and malabsorption 8-11. In the past, weight loss and body mass index (BMI) were often used as indicators of poor nutrition and prognosis. However, with improvement in living standards, the num...

PurposeThis study aimed to establish whether computed tomography (CT)–determined sarcopenia is a useful imaging biomarker for postoperative outcome in elderly colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and construct sarcopenia-based nomograms to predict individual outcomes after surgery.Materials and MethodsCT imaging data of 298 elderly CRC patients who underwent surgery in 2012-2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Skeletal muscle mass was determined by CT, and sarcopenia was diagnosed based on the optimal cutoff value determined by X-tile program. The correlation between sarcopenia and risk of preoperative nutrition and postoperative complications was evaluated. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine survival predictors. Sarcopenia-based nomograms were developed based on multivariate analysis, and calibrated using concordance index and calibration curves.ResultsA total 132 patients (44.3%) had sarcopenia based on the optimum cutoff values (29.9 cm2/m2 for women and 49.5 cm2/m2 for men). Sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for preoperative nutrition (p < 0.001; odds ratio [OR], 3.405; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.948 to 5.954) and postoperative complications (p=0.008; OR, 2.192; 95% CI, 1.231 to 3.903). Sarcopenia was an independent predictor for poor progression-free survival (p < 0.001; hazard ratio [HR], 2.175; 95% CI, 1.489 to 3.179) and overall survival (p < 0.001; HR, 2.524; 95% CI, 1.721 to 3.703). Based on multivariate analysis, we produced four nomograms that had better predictive performance.ConclusionCT-determined sarcopenia is a useful imaging biomarker for predicting preoperative nutritional risk, postoperative complications, and long-term outcomes in elderly CRC patients. The sarcopenia-based nomograms can provide a scientific basis for guiding therapeutic schedule and follow-up strategies.

Purpose This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of the postoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels/preoperative serum CEA levels ratio (CEA ratio) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with high preoperative serum CEA levels and to identify the optimal prognostic cutoff value. Patients and methods The medical records of 187 CRC patients in a single center who underwent surgery between September 2012 and September 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. CEA ratio was defined as the ratio between the postoperative serum CEA and preoperative serum CEA. The optimal cutoff values for the CEA ratio were determined by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. The Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact probability test were used to test the correlation between CEA ratio and clinicopathological characteristics. Univariate, multivariate, and subgroup Cox proportional hazards analysis were used to identify independent prognostic factors. Kaplan–Meier method was used for establishing survival curves. Results The median follow-up time was 62 months (range 3–88 months). The optimal CEA ratio cutoff value closely related to disease-free survival was 0.295. In the Chi-square test, the CEA ratio was associated with pN stage ( p =0.003) and postoperative CEA ( p <0.001). In the multivariate analysis, the CEA ratio was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival ( p =0.003, HR 2.300 [95% CI: 1.326–3.988]) and cancer-special survival ( p =0.003, HR 2.525 [95% CI: 1.381–4.614]). The CEA ratio reflected the prognosis of CRC patients more accurately than postoperative CEA levels alone, and the CEA ratio of 0.295 was more likely to reflect the prognosis than other cutoff values. Conclusion The CEA ratio is a simple and useful tool for further forecasting the prognosis of CRC patients with high preoperative CEA levels and may help develop strategies for the postoperative treatment of CRC patients.

Background and Purpose Several studies have proposed that the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI), a new inflammation-related index, can be used for the prognosis assessment of various malignancies. However, few studies have reported its prognostic value in colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, this study explored the relationship between ALI and outcomes in CRC patients. Methods A total of 662 CRC patients who underwent surgery between 2012 and 2014 were included. The ALI was defined as: body mass index × serum albumin/neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. The X-tile program identified the optimal cut-off value of ALI. Logistic regression analyses determined factors affecting postoperative complications. The Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards analyses evaluated potential prognostic factors. Results The optimal cut-off of ALI in males and females were 31.6 and 24.4, respectively. Low-ALI was an independent risk factor for postoperative complications in CRC patients (odds ratio: 1.933, 95% CI [1.283–2.911], p = 0.002). Low-ALI groups also had significantly lower progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), when compared with the high-ALI group, especially at advance tumor stages. Using multivariate analysis, ALI was determined as an independent prognostic factor for PFS (hazard ratio: 1.372, 95% CI [1.060–1.777], p = 0.016) and OS (hazard ratio: 1.453, 95% confidence interval: 1.113–1.898, p = 0.006). Conclusion ALI is an independent predictor of short and long-term outcomes in CRC patients, especially at advance tumor stages. The ALI-based nomograms can provide accurate and individualized prediction of postoperative complication risk and survival for CRC patients.

Background: This study aimed to explore the value of controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score in assessing short-term and long-term outcomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and construct CONUT-based nomograms to predict risk of postoperative comorbidities and survival. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 512 patients from 2012 to 2014. Patients were categorized into low-CONUT and high-CONUT groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine characteristics influencing postoperative comorbidities. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox proportional hazards analysis were used to determine characteristics affecting prognosis. The receiver operating characteristic was used to compare ability of the CONUT score with other immune-nutritional indicators to predict prognosis. Results: Logistic regression analysis suggested that high CONUT score was an independent risk factor affecting postoperative comorbidities (odds ratio, 1.792; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.113-2.886; P = 0.016). Patients with low-CONUT score had longer disease-free survival (DFS) (P < 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (P < 0.001) compared to those with high-CONUT score, especially at the early stage. CONUT score was an independent factor affecting both DFS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.820; 95% CI, 1.204-2.752; P = 0.005) and OS (HR, 1.815; 95% CI, 1.180-2.792; P = 0.007). The area under the curve of CONUT score was higher than for other immune-nutritional indicators. The CONUT-based nomograms had good predictive capability. Conclusions: CONUT score is a strong independent predictor of postoperative comorbidities and long-term outcomes in CRC patients, and might be a better prognostic factor than other immune-nutritional indicators. The CONUT-based nomograms are conducive to the individualized formulation of follow-up strategies and treatment plans.

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Background and Purpose There had been no recognized serum tumor marker to predict the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with normal preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels. The purpose of this study was to determine whether preoperative serum carbohydrate antigen 724 (CA724) was of predictive function for the prognosis of CRC patients with normal CEA levels. Methods The medical records of 295 CRC patients with normal CEA levels who underwent surgery at the Department of Colorectal Anal Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (Guangxi, China) between September 2012 and September 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The Chi-square test was used to test the correlation between preoperative serum CA724 levels and clinical features. Kaplan–Meier curves were conducted to calculate the overall survival (OS) rate and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients. Cox regression analysis was applied to conduct univariate and multivariate analysis of the following four preoperative serum tumor makers namely CA724, carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199), carcinoembryonic antigen 125 (CA125), carcinoembryonic antigen 242 (CA242) and clinical features. Nomograms for prognostic parameter of OS and DFS were developed using R v3.2.5. Results In the Chi-square test, only pathological node stage (pN stage) (X2 = 14.514, P = 0.001) and differentiation (X2 = 10.712, P = 0.001) were associated with serum CA724 levels. In the Kaplan–Meier analysis, the results revealed that the OS and DFS in patients with high CA724 was poorer than those with normal. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis of OS and DFS, only pT stage, pN stage, metastasis and serum CA724 were independent prognostic risk factors for CRC patients with normal CEA levels. Conclusion Preoperative serum CA724 might serve as a potential prognostic factor for CRC patients with normal serum CEA levels.