title: The value of a complete blood count in predicting cancer of the colon.
abstract: Mortality from colon cancer could be reduced with routine screening, yet screening rates are low. Current screening tools are limited by expense and suboptimal acceptance. A retrospective case-control study of all cases of colon cancer diagnosed at our institution over a 5-year period was performed to determine the frequency of blood count abnormalities in these patients upon presentation. One hundred twenty-seven patients had right-sided colon cancer: 107 (84%) had an elevated red cell distribution width (RDW); 87 (69%) had anemia; and 70 (55%) had a low mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Ninety-eight patients had left-sided colon cancer: 49 (50%) had an elevated red cell distribution width; 43 (44%) had anemia; and 22 (22%) had a low mean corpuscular volume. The red cell distribution width was 84% sensitive and 88% specific for right-sided colon cancer. An elevated red cell distribution width may help better identify those patients who should be referred for full colonoscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0565, USA. dspell@lsuhsc.edu
authors.forename: Derrick W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Spell
authors.forename: Dennie V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: William F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: David Bessman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017678:Sex Distribution