Evaluating the role of pre-operative hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet scores in predicting perioperative morbidity in rectal cancer patients.

Objective: Our study aims to explore the predictive value of the hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score, calculated from routine blood tests measuring HALP levels, for perioperative morbidity in rectal cancer surgery patients.

Method: We conducted a retrospective study focusing on patients who underwent elective rectal cancer surgery from January 2017 to September 2023. The study analyzed demographic, clinical, and laboratory data, including the HALP score, to assess its correlation with perioperative morbidity using logistic and linear regression analyses.

Results: Univariate analysis showed no correlation between the HALP score and perioperative morbidity. Intriguingly, an increase of each centimeter in tumor size was associated with a significant reduction in the HALP score (p = 0.042), and operation time exhibited an inverse relationship with HALP scores (p < 0.001). Further, our study identified sex (male, p = 0.017) and age (> 65, p = 0.016) as significant predictors of perioperative morbidity.

Conclusions: Our study found that pre-operative HALP scores did not significantly predict perioperative morbidity or local recurrence in rectal cancer surgery, challenging their presumed prognostic value. However, a notable association was observed between higher HALP scores, reduced tumor size, and shorter operative times, suggesting a potential indirect relationship of HALP in surgical outcomes.