The Impact of Preoperative Serum High Mobility Group Box-1 on Recurrence in Patients With Colorectal Cancer: A Prospective Observational Study.

Background: High mobility group box 1 can serve as a marker for a follow-up of postoperative gastrointestinal cancer progression. However, we do not know the role of preoperative high mobility group box 1 measurement in an observation of longer-term recurrence of cancer and for colorectal cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prediction of high mobility group box 1 on a long-term recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer.

Design: This was a prospective cohort study.

Patients: A cohort of 95 patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer between 2015 to 2018 were included.

Main outcome measures: Serum high mobility group box 1 levels were measured preoperatively. Recurrence-free survival was evaluated using multivariable Cox regression analysis.

Results: Serum mean high mobility group box 1 levels were 8.7 (standard deviation 8.0) ng/mL. The high-high mobility group box 1 group comprised 35 patients. The median recurrence-free survival duration was 5 years in both high- and low-high mobility group box 1 groups. The multivariable hazard ratios for high-high mobility group box 1 in relation to recurrence-free survival was 4.45 (95% confidence interval, 1.29-15.38, p = 0.02).

Limitations: The sample size from a single site may limit generalizability of findings.

Conclusion: Preoperative high-high mobility group box 1 levels were predictive of poorer recurrence-free survival in patients with colorectal cancer. Further studies are needed to confirm the use of high mobility group box 1 in clinical practice on recurrence-free survival. See Video.