Exploratory Evaluation of Pre-Treatment Inflammation Profiles in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

In light of the elevated incidence and consequential prognostic implications associated with colorectal cancer, a comprehensive investigation into the impact exerted by inflammatory status on patient management becomes imperative. A retrospective study spanning 7 years was conducted, involving the retrospective collection of data on colorectal cancer patients undergoing surgical intervention. We evaluated six inflammation ratios derived from complete peripheral blood counts. A thorough analysis of these markers’ prognostic capacity was conducted, revealing that patients who died postoperatively displayed significantly higher preoperative Aggregate Index of Systemic Inflammation—AISI (p = 0.014) and Systemic Inflammation Response Index—SII (p = 0.0197) levels compared to those with successful discharge. Noteworthy variations in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (p = 0.0103), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (p = 0.0041), AISI (p < 0.001), and SII (p = 0.0045) were observed in patients necessitating postoperative Intensive Care Unit (ICU) monitoring. Furthermore, patients with complications, such as an intestinal fistula, exhibited significantly elevated AISI (p = 0.0489). Inflammatory biomarkers stand out as valuable prognostic tools for colorectal cancer patients, offering potential assistance in predicting their prognosis.