Platelet Distribution Width as a Predictor of Metastasis in Gastric Cancer Patients.
BACKGROUND
There are few known predictors of gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we evaluated the relationship between peripheral blood parameters and disease in patients with GC. Our aim was to identify a predictor of the development of metastasis.


METHODS
Pretreatment peripheral blood parameters, including neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts; median platelet values (MPVs); and platelet distribution width (PDW), of patients diagnosed with GC were assessed. The independent T test was used in comparisons between two groups with a normal distribution, the Mann-Whitney U test in comparisons between two groups without a normal distribution, the Kruskal-Wallis test to compare more than two groups, and the Dunn's multiple comparison test to compare subgroups. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.


RESULTS
In GC patients, neutrophil and platelet counts, but not lymphocyte counts and MPVs, increased significantly with disease stage progression. Among patients who developed a metastasis during follow-up, the relationship between PDW and the risk of metastasis was statistically significant (p = 0.04). Both lymphocyte and platelet levels had a statistically significant relationship to survival (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that in patients with GC, PDW, one of the standard parameters measured in a complete blood count, is a predictor of metastasis. Therefore, the PDW may be an important consideration in the surgical and chemotherapeutic treatment planning of patients with GC. Treatment strategies should also take into account lymphocyte and platelet levels, both of which were shown to be significantly related to survival.
Department of Medical Oncology, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakirkoy, Istanbul, Turkey. meralgunaldi@gmail.com.
Meral
M
Gunaldi
Department of Medical Oncology, Samsun Medical Park Hospital, Samsun, Turkey.
Dilek
D
Erdem
Department of Medical Oncology, Kayseri Education and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
Sema
S
Goksu
Department of Medical Oncology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
Seyda
S
Gunduz
Department of Internal Medicine, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Yildiz
Y
Okuturlar
Department of Radiation Oncology, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Eda
E
Tiken
Department of General Surgery, GATA Haydarpasa Education Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Huseyin
H
Aksoy
Department of Medical Oncology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
Mustafa
M
Yildirim
D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology
Chemotherapy; Gastric cancer; Metastasis; Platelet distribution; Predictive value