In our study, pre-operative thrombocytosis is not a prognostic indicator of survival in colorectal cancer patients regardless of pathological stage.

Objectives: (1) To investigate patients' experience of BP levels and variability, number of symptoms reported and anxiety level. changes in their blood pressure (BP) in an every day setting and the accuracy of patients' predictions; and Results: One hundred and two hypertensive patients entered the study of whom 51 patients were predictors. (2) to examine what influences patients' belief that they can tell when their BP is up.The majority (86%) of predictors could not accurately predict their BP. There were no significant differences Subjects: A total of 102 hypertensive patients were recruited sequentially as they presented for routine BP in either BP or variability between predictors and nonpredictors. Predictors were significantly more anxious checks. The setting was an inner city general practice. Design: Patients attended for BP checks on a weekly and reported more symptoms than non-predictors. Conclusions: For the majority of predictors there is no basis. Before each check they were asked whether they thought their BP was higher, lower or the same as usual.significant relationship between predictions of BP and clinical measurements. Predictor status is associated Subjects were classified as predictors if they thought they could tell when their BP was up. On completing their with the reporting of more symptoms and higher levels of anxiety. Doctors should counsel patients against series of BP checks each subject completed symptom and Hospital Anxiety and Depression questionnaires. using subjective BP assessments to guide their use of antihypertensive medication. Main outcome measures: Accuracy of BP predictions, Keywords: blood pressure; self-estimation; symptoms; anxiety given. They concluded that there is no reliable Introduction association between systolic BP (SBP) and predicMany patients think they can tell when their blood tion, but acknowledged several limitations of the pressure (BP) is raised, but essential hypertension is study. These included the short 10-day time period, considered clinically to be an asymptomatic conthe small number of subjects of whom only 20/43 dition. For example, Meyer and colleagues 1 in a were hypertensive (diastolic BP Ͼ95 mm Hg), and study in Milwaukee reported that 71% of the newly only 12 subjects reporting at baseline that they could treated hypertensives and 92% who continued in tell if their BP went up or down. There is thus a treatment for at least 3 months thought they could need for further studies to assess the accuracy of tell when their BP was up. Morgan and Watkins 2 in patients' BP estimates in an everyday life situation, a general practice-based study in south London especially as high BP forms one of the most common similarly found that half the 'white' patients and conditions treated in a general practice setting two-thirds of the Afro-Caribbean patients thought accounting for 3.8% of general practice consulthey could tell when their BP was up. Five hundred and sixty-seven people with a diagPatients' perceptions of changes in BP P Cantillon et al 222 nosi...

Only 13 out of 132 (10%) of patients had a complete pathological response. This is one-third of the cCR previously reported. Nonsurgical therapy for rectal cancer using the Habr-Gama treatment algorithm may only be effective in a very small proportion of patients with rectal cancer in the UK and nonoperative treatment would not be recommended.