title: Effect of pre-operative red blood cell distribution on cancer stage and morbidity rate in patients with pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The red blood cell distribution (RDW) is a test measure of erythrocyte variation and the volume level which shows the heterogeneity and it is a proven test in literature for the determination of survival on cardiovascular diseases. The main purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between the RDW level and postoperative morbidity as well as its stages in diagnosed pancreatic cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study we covered 104 diagnosed pancreatic cancer patients who have been operated in 2011-2014. The RDW levels were separated into two groups. Group 1 contains higher level RDW patients (> 14) whereas group 2 contains only lower level RDW patients. We compared both groups in terms of the patients' demographic data, duration of hospitalization, ratio of pancreatic fistula, disease period, and the mortality rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group 1 contains 39 patients whereas group 2 contains only 65 patients. We determined the positive correlation between stages of disease with RDW levels as well as the correlation between low level of blood albumin and Ca 19.9 levels (p = 0001). However we did not observe statistically important difference in postoperative morbidity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on this study we report that RDW levels can be use as a marker to show the stages of pancreatic cancer in diagnosed patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medipol University Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Bezmialem University Turkey.
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malya
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medipol University Turkey.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Bezmialem University Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Citgez
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medipol University Turkey.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozdenkaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medipol University Turkey.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ersavas
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Medipol University Turkey.
authors.forename: Af
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agan
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Bezmialem University Turkey.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Senturk
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medipol University Turkey.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karatepe
keywords: Pancreatic cancer; red cell distrıbution; stage