Is perineural invasion (PN) a determinant of disease free survival in early stage colorectal cancer?
OBJECTIVE
The prognostic importance of perineural invasion (PN) in colorectal cancer (CRC) is unclear. The aim of this study to find out whether the PN was an independent stratification factor of postoperative relapse in curatively resected high-risk stage II & III CRC patients who were treated with adjuvant therapy.


METHODS
Data of patients with high risk stage II & all stage III CRCs treated with adjuvant chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed. Pathological features of final surgical specimen were noted. Disease-free survival was determined by Kaplan-Meier estimator, with differences determined by multivariate analysis using the Cox multiple hazards model. Results were compared using the log-rank test.


RESULTS
PN was found to be positive in 26% in the files of 593 eligible patients. In 21% of the reports PN status was not reported. Presence of PN in the resected primary tumors did not have independent effect on DFS. Further analyses for importance of PN on DFS of colon or rectal cancers did not show any effect.


CONCLUSIONS
This study had failed to demonstrate any prognostic effect of PN for DFS in surgically resected stage II and III CRC patients who received adjuvant treatments.
Mehmet Akif
MA
Ozturk
Faysal
F
Dane
Sila
S
Karagoz
Deniz
D
Tural
Fatih
F
Selcukbiricik
Fuat
F
Demirelli
Evin
E
Buyukunal
Mustafa
M
Ozguroglu
Hande
H
Turna
Sibel
S
Erdamar
Cigdem Ataizi
CA
Celikel
Emine Bas
EB
Bozkurtlar
Perran Fulden
PF
Yumuk
Nil Molinas
NM
Mandel
Nazım Serdar
NS
Turhal
Suheyla
S
Serdengecti
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003082:Colectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000473:pathology*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult