title: Laboratory blood data have a significant impact on tumor response and outcome in preoperative chemoradiotherapy for advanced rectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the standard treatment for advanced rectal cancer (RC), markers predicting response have not been adequately defined.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 73 cases with advanced RC, we evaluated the tumor response with the reduction rate of the longitudinal size of RC using barium enema image taken before and after CRT. Then, we retrospectively examined the association with various blood values taken before CRT. The tumor size reduction rate was significantly greater in ten CR cases than in 63 non-CR cases (p < 0.001).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interestingly, the size reduction ratio was positively associated with hemoglobin, albumin level and lymphocyte percentage in leukocytes, while being negatively associated with platelet counts, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels as well as neutropliles percentage. Moreover, high lymphocyte counts (>1,800/mm(3)) had an independent association with disease-free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood data have a major impact on the tumor response to CRT. Control of host condition may improve the effectiveness of CRT in advanced RC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sunami
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagawa
authors.forename: Joji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kitayama
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor