Prognostic impact of inflammatory and nutritional markers in colorectal cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis.

In this article, we critically appraise the study by Wu et al, which investigated the prognostic value of preoperative inflammatory and nutritional markers in colorectal cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis. This retrospective cohort study included 133 patients. The findings indicate that patients with high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (NLRs) or lower hemoglobin (Hb) levels have significantly shorter overall survival (OS) than those with lower NLRs or normal Hb levels, respectively. Furthermore, age, carbohydrate antigen 199 levels, the NLR, Hb, and the peritoneal cancer index were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS. A nomogram was subsequently developed, demonstrating its ability to accurately predict the OS of colorectal cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis. This study introduces a potentially valuable prognostic tool for these patients. However, further validation in multicenter cohorts is needed to confirm its clinical applicability, to assess its limitations, and to elucidate the underlying mechanism of these identified biomarkers.