title: The relationship between patient physiology, the systemic inflammatory response and survival in patients undergoing curative resection of colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is increasingly recognised that host-related factors may be important in determining cancer outcome. The aim was to examine the relationship between patient physiology, the systemic inflammatory response and survival after colorectal cancer resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients undergoing potentially curative resection of colorectal cancer were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Patient physiology was assessed using the physiological and operative severity score for the enumeration of mortality and morbidity (POSSUM) criteria. The systemic inflammatory response was assessed using the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS). Multivariate 5-year survival analysis was carried out with calculation of hazard ratios (HR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 320 patients were included. During follow-up (median 74 months), there were 136 deaths: 83 colorectal cancer related and 53 non-cancer related. Independent predictors of cancer-specific survival were age (HR: 1.46, P<0.01), Dukes stage (HR: 2.39, P<0.001), mGPS (HR: 1.78, P<0.001) and POSSUM physiology score (HR: 1.38, P=0.02). Predictors of overall survival were age (HR: 1.64, P<0.001), smoking (HR: 1.52, P=0.02), Dukes stage (HR: 1.64, P<0.001), mGPS (HR: 1.60, P<0.001) and POSSUM physiology score (HR: 1.27, P=0.03). A relationship between mGPS and POSSUM physiology score was also established (P<0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The POSSUM physiology score and the systemic inflammatory response are strongly associated and both are independent predictors of cancer specific and overall survival in patients undergoing potentially curative resection of colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK. colinrichards@nhs.net
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Leitch
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Horgan
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: McKee
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: McMillan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis