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A prognostic index for colorectal cancer based on preoperative absolute lymphocyte, monocyte, and neutrophil counts

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Abstract

Purpose

Associations between the preoperative absolute neutrophil count (NC), lymphocyte count (LC), and monocyte count (MC) in the peripheral blood and the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients have not been widely studied.

Methods

We enrolled 361 patients who underwent surgery for CRC between January 2007 and December 2013 to analyze correlations among the LC, MC, and NC and prognosis.

Results

Based on cut-off values determined by a receiver operating characteristic analysis, patients were subgrouped as LymphHigh or LymphLow (cut-off: LC = 1460 cells/µL); as MonoHigh or MonoLow (cut-off: MC = 421 cells/µL); and as NeutHigh or NeutLow (cut-off: NC = 3247 cells/µL). Patients were then given lymphocyte–monocyte–neutrophil (LMN) scores by adding the points of their different subgroups (1 point each for LymphLow, MonoHigh and NeutHigh; 0 points for LymphHigh, MonoLow and NeutLow). The 5-year overall survival rates significantly differed by the LMN score (0: 89.7%, 1: 80.6%, 2: 68.8%, and 3: 57.4%; P < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, the LMN score was found to be an independent prognostic indicator.

Conclusions

The combination of the preoperative absolute number of lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils is a useful prognostic indicator in CRC patients.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Marla Brunker, from Edanz Group (http://www.edanzediting.com/ac) for editing a draft of this manuscript.

Funding

The authors received no grants, equipment or funding for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, 36-1 Nishi-cho, Yonago, 683-8504, Japan

    Akimitsu Tanio, Hiroaki Saito, Chihiro Uejima, Seigo Takaya, Manabu Yamamoto, Naruo Tokuyasu, Teruhisa Sakamoto, Soichiro Honjo, Keigo Ashida & Yoshiyuki Fujiwara

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  1. Akimitsu Tanio
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  2. Hiroaki Saito
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  3. Chihiro Uejima
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  4. Seigo Takaya
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Correspondence to Hiroaki Saito.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Tanio, A., Saito, H., Uejima, C. et al. A prognostic index for colorectal cancer based on preoperative absolute lymphocyte, monocyte, and neutrophil counts. Surg Today 49, 245–253 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-018-1728-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-018-1728-6

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