Preoperative Plasma Fibrinogen is Associated with Lymph Node Metastasis and Predicts Prognosis in Resectable Esophageal Cancer.
Although it is well known that patients with malignant tumors have abnormal blood coagulation, its clinical significance has not been studied. We investigated the clinicopathological and prognostic impact of plasma fibrinogen, which is the major factor of the coagulation system, in patients with esophageal cancer.



From February 1995 to December 2006, 100 patients with esophageal cancer who had their plasma fibrinogen measured were enrolled. The associations between plasma fibrinogen, clinicopathological factors, and prognosis were analyzed. A concentration of 2.0-4.0 g/L was defined as normofibrinogenemia, and a concentration higher than 4.0 g/L was described as hyperfibrinogenemia.



Patients with large, advanced tumors, and lymph node metastasis had significantly higher plasma fibrinogen than those with small, early tumors, and no lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001, p = 0.002, and p = 0.03, respectively). Plasma fibrinogen was associated with not only the existence of lymph node metastasis but also the extension of lymph node metastasis and lymphatic recurrence. Patients with hyperfibrinogenemia had a significantly poor prognosis as compared to those with normofibrinogenemia, regardless of pathological staging. Plasma fibrinogen was an independent risk factor for overall survival and relapse-free survival as well as tumor depth and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.004 and p = 0.031, respectively).



Preoperative plasma fibrinogen is a possible biomarker for the prediction of tumor progression, recurrence pattern, and prognosis for esophageal cancer. Preoperative plasma fibrinogen is also associated with lymph node metastasis and may be helpful in adjusting neo-adjuvant therapy.
Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan. kohei@naramed-u.ac.jp.
Kohei
K
Wakatsuki
Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.
Sohei
S
Matsumoto
Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.
Kazuhiro
K
Migita
Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.
Masahiro
M
Ito
Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.
Tomohiro
T
Kunishige
Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Nakade
Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.
Mitsuhiro
M
Nakatani
Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.
Mutsuko
M
Kitano
Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.
Masayuki
M
Sho
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D005340:Fibrinogen