Platelet Count and Survival in Patients with Colorectal Cancer – a Preliminary Study

Abstract

SummaryIn a previous report we found an inverse correlation between pre-operative platelet count (PlC) levels and the risk of post-operative pulmonary embolism in patients undergoing hip surgery. In the present study, we prospectively evaluated the prognostic significance of pre-operative PlC levels on survival in 180 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer. Other major clinicopathological parameters studied were age, gender, Dukes’ stage, duration of surgery, pre-operative haemoglobin levels and transfusion requirements.There were no significant differences in mean pre-operative PlC levels according to tumor stage. Thirty-three patients (18%) died during follow-up (3-23 months, median: 13 months). Univariate analysis (Kaplan-Meier estimates) showed that advanced tumor stage (p <0.001), duration of surgery (p <0.05) and a high pre-operative PlC level (p <0.001) were significantly associated to a poor survival. The multivariate Cox analysis revealed that tumor stage (RR:5.734; 95%C.I.: 2.644-12.44), a high pre-operative PlC level (RR: 2.467; 95%C.I.: 1.117-5.452), and to a lesser extent the patients’ age remained independent prognostic variables for mortality. The findings of this preliminary study may be of interest from the point of view of pathogenesis, but also clinically, since they might be used in the decision as to which patients or groups of patients should receive more aggressive therapeutic intervention.

The effect of peripheral blood values on prognosis of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer before treatment

“…However, its' prognostic importance have been observed frequently in patients with gynecological cancers, renal cell carcinoma, and lung cancer [21][22][23]. The prevalence of thrombocytosis in patients with gynecological cancer was 9.5-38%, 13-60% with primary lung cancer, 56.8% with renal cell carcinoma, and 33% with colon cancer [4,14,24,25].…”

Prognosis of Resected Ampullary Adenocarcinoma by Preoperative Serum CA19-9 Levels and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio

“…26 The proinflammatory phase associated with systemic inflammation results in release of various immunological mediators such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-3, and IL-6, which increase circulating platelet counts as a result of megakaryocyte proliferation. 27,28 Preoperative thrombocytosis is commonly associated with a number of different malignancies and has been widely reported as an adverse prognostic marker in several cancers 29,30 including pancreatic adenocarcinoma. 16,17 Release of inhibitory mediators such as IL-10 and transforming growth factor beta 2 as part of the inflammatory response can result in reduced circulating and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte counts.…”

Incidence of anemia, leukocytosis, and thrombocytosis in patients with solid tumors in China

“…The ranges of frequencies previously reported in the same disease were inconsistent: 12.0% to 42.5% in gynecologic cancer patients [2][3][4], 5.83% to 53.0% in lung cancer patients [5][6][7], and 19.5% to 56.8% in renal cell carcinoma patients [8,9]. Moreover, it was identified as an adverse prognostic indicator in bronchial cancer patients [10], lung cancer patients [10,11], gastric cancer patients [12], colorectal cancer patients [11,13], esophageal cancer patients [14], hepatocellular cancer patients [15], pancreas cancer patients [16], glioblastoma patients [17], renal cell carcinoma patients [18], oral squamous cell carcinoma patients [19], and in different gynecological malignancies and breast cancer patients [2,20,21]. But, not as consistently, Hefler noted that thrombocytosis was not an independent predictor of survival for patients with vulvar cancer [21].…”