title: Relationship between plasma D-dimer levels and clinicopathologic parameters in resectable colorectal cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical significance of the D-dimer levels and the relationship between plasma D-dimer levels and clinicopathologic parameters in operable colorectal cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The plasma levels of D-dimer were measured pre- and postoperatively in 35 patients with colorectal cancer, and 30 healthy subjects served as controls by the method of quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean preoperative plasma levels of D-dimer in the patients with colorectal cancer (1.06+/-0.24 mg/L) were significantly higher than those of controls (0.33+/-0.12 mg/L,P<0.01). The D-dimer levels were remarkably elevated on the 1st day after operation (1.22+/-0.55 mg/L, P<0.01). On the 3rd day the level of D-dimer began to stepwise descend and on the 14(th) day nearly returned to control level. The preoperative levels of D-dimer were significantly correlated with the lymph node metastasis and Dukes stage but had no association with tumor location and the degree of differentiation. A stepwise increase in the mean D-dimer levels was found with increase of the tumor stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypercoagulation and higher fibrinolytic activities occur in patients with colorectal cancer. The operative trauma could enhance the fibrinolysis in the patients with colorectal cancer. The measurement of preoperative D-dimer levels is considered to be useful for predicting lymph node metastasis and stage of colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gastroenterology, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong Province, China. tianzr@sdu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ya-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products