Correlation of pretreatment hemoglobin and platelet counts with clinicopathological features in colorectal cancer in Saudi population.
OBJECTIVE
In Saudi Arabia, colorectal cancers (CRCs) are registered as the second most common cancers. However, no data has been reported about correlation of the severity of the anemia and pretreatment platelets level with clinicopathological features of CRCs. We aimed to evaluate the association between pretreatment hemoglobin and platelets level and the clinicopathological features of CRC patients in Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
Between September 2005 and November 2011, One hundred and fifty-four confirmed CRC patients underwent thorough physical examination, blood investigations, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), and computed tomography (CT) for staging before surgery. Findings of physical assessment, EUS, CT, and pathological specimens were correlated with pretreatment hemoglobin and platelets levels the Pearson-Kendall tau correlative coefficients.


RESULTS
The mean age of cohort was 56.6 years (range: 26-89). Left-sided CRC were predominant (97 patients; 63%). Mean size of primary tumor was 6 cms (1-18) SD ± 3.55. Mean values of hemoglobin, red blood cells, hematocrit, white blood cells, and platelets were 11.9 SD ± 2.3, 35.5 SD ± 5.7, 4.43 × 10 6 /mL SD ± 0.6, 7.67 10 6 /mL SD ± 2.44, and 343 × 10 3 /mL SD ± 164.4, respectively. Pretreatment hemoglobin was inversely correlated with primary tumor size (R: 0.71, R2: 1.55, P = 0.0001) and nodal status (R: 0.02, R2: 0.05, P = 0.01). Right-sided CRC had significantly low pretreatment hemoglobin levels ( P = 0.001). Interestingly, pretreatment thrombocytosis was seen only in right-sided CRC (P = 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Pretreatment anemia and thrombocytosis were found mainly in right-sided CRCs and advanced primary and nodal stages. Pretreatment hemoglobin and thrombocytosis can be considered as useful prognostic markers in CRC patients.
Eyad F
EF
Al-Saeed
Radiation Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mutahir A
MA
Tunio
Omar
O
Al-Obaid
Maha
M
Abdulla
Alaa
A
Al-Anazi
Jumanah Y
JY
AlShenaifi
Jumanah
J
Al-Shanifi
Leena
L
Al-Ameer
Tarfah
T
Al-Obaidan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010976:Platelet Count; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000453:epidemiology
D006454:Hemoglobins