Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents the third most common malignancy worldwide. The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive values of platelet-associated indicators, including platelet count (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT), mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) in patients with resectable CRC. The current retrospective study included 153 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with resectable CRC. The patients were divided into two groups according to the median value of PLT, PCT, MPV or PDW. To evaluate the changes in PLT, PCT, MPV and PDW following resection and adjuvant chemotherapy, the concept of post-/pre-treatment PLT, PCT, MPV and PDW ratios was introduced, where <1 indicated decreased PLT, PCT, MPV and PDW values after treatment, and where ≥1 suggested stable or increased values. It was revealed that a low MPV prior to treatment correlated with a higher tumor stage. Surgery significantly decreased MPV, but had no impact on PLT, PCT or PDW. Adjuvant chemotherapy significantly decreased PLT and PCT, increased MPV and had no effect on PDW. After the whole course of treatment (surgery combined with adjuvant chemotherapy), PLT, PCT and PDW were significantly decreased. Kaplan-Meier plots illustrated that patients with a post-/pre-treatment MPV ratio <1 had poorer overall survival (OS), whereas the post-/pre-treatment ratios for PLT, PCT and PDW did not correlate with patient outcome. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that sex, tumor size and the post-/pre-treatment MPV ratio were prognostic factors for OS. Therefore, the present results may suggest MPV as a potential prognostic factor in resectable CRC.

Background:Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Platelet-related indictors, including platelet count, plateletcrit, mean platelet volume, and platelet distribution width, not only associate with morphology and functions of platelet but also correlate with tumor development and metastasis. In the present study, we investigated the values of platelet-related indictors in the prognosis evaluation of resectable lung cancers.Methods:In total, 101 patients with resectable lung cancer were recruited in this study. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the median pretreatment values. To evaluate the individual value changes after treatment, we introduced the concept of post-/pretreatment ratio (≤1 indicated value was not increased after treatment, while >1 suggested increased value).Results:The high pretreatment platelet count level was correlated with larger tumor size. High pretreatment plateletcrit level was associated with more lymph nodes metastasis. Patients with high pretreatment plateletcrit level had worse overall survival, whereas pretreatment platelet count, mean platelet volume, and platelet distribution width levels were not correlated with outcomes. Surgery had no impact on the values of platelet count, plateletcrit, mean platelet volume, or platelet distribution width. Adjuvant chemotherapy significantly decreased the values of platelet count and plateletcrit, whereas it had no effect on the values of mean platelet volume or platelet distribution width. Whole course of treatment (surgery combined with adjuvant chemotherapy) significantly decreased the values of platelet count and platelet distribution width, whereas it had no effect on the values of plateletcrit or mean platelet volume. Post-/pretreatment platelet count, plateletcrit, mean platelet volume, and platelet distribution width ratios were not correlated with outcomes. Univariate analyses demonstrated that American Joint Committee on Cancer stage and pretreatment plateletcrit level were significant risk factors for prognosis. Cox regression analysis revealed that no factor independently associated with worse survival.Conclusion:Pretreatment plateletcrit level could be a potential prognostic factor in resectable lung cancers.

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The count and classification of white blood cells (WBCs) may be used as prognostic markers in certain types of cancer. The present study investigated the prognostic potential of the counts of WBCs, including lymphocytes (LYs), monocytes (MOs), neutrophils (NEs), eosinophils (EOs) and basophils (BAs), in the prognosis of resectable colorectal cancer. The present study recruited 153 resectable colorectal cancer cases retrospectively, which were pathologically confirmed. All patients were divided into two groups, according to the median value of LY (low LY, ≤1.632x10 9 /l or high LY, >1.632x10 9 /l), MO (low MO, ≤0.330x10 9 /l or high MO, >0.330x10 9 /l), NE (low NE, ≤3.600x10 9 /l or high NE, >3.600x10 9 /l), EO (low EO, ≤0.085x10 9 /l or high EO, >0.085x10 9 /l), BA (low BA, ≤0.010x10 9 /l or high BA, >0.010x10 9 /l), or WBC (low WBC, ≤5.780x10 9 /l or high WBC, >5.780x10 9 /l). To evaluate the alterations in WBC counts following surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy; all samples received oxiplatin and capecitabine (XELOX) for 6-8 cycles or 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6) for 10-12 cycles. XELOX included oxaliplatin administered intravenously at a dose of 130 mg/m 2 on day 1 and 850-1,250 mg/m 2 capecitabine twice daily for days 1-14, repeated every 3 weeks. mFOLFOX6 included oxaliplatin administered intravenously at a dose of 85 mg/m 2 , 400 mg/m 2 leucovorin and 400 mg/m 2 5-FU on day 1 followed by 1,200 mg/m 2 /days continuous infusion for 2 days (in total, 2,400 mg/m 2 over 46-48 h), repeated every 2 weeks. The present study investigated the post/pre-treatment of LY, MO, NE, EO, BA and WBC ratios (≤1 indicated that LY, MO, NE, EO, BA and WBC counts were not increased following therapy; whereas, >1 suggested increased counts). Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed to demonstrate overall survival (OS). A multivariate and univariate logistic regression analyses model was employed to identify the independent risk factors. Low pre-treatment BA counts were associated with larger tumor size (>5 cm); pre-treatment BA levels were positively associated with OS. Surgery significantly decreased the count of BAs and increased the count of EOs; whereas, no effect was observed on LYs, MOs, NEs or WBCs. Adjuvant chemotherapy markedly decreased the counts of LY, NE and WBC; whereas, no notable effects on MOs, EOs or BAs were observed. Whole course treatment (surgery combined with adjuvant chemotherapy) significantly decreased the values of LY, NE and WBC; however, increased the value of EO; no effects on the MO or BA counts were observed. An increased post-/pre-treatment NE ratio suggested poorer prognosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that sex, tumor size, pre-treatment BA count and the post-/pre-treatment NE ratio were independent prognostic factors affecting OS. The results of the present study suggested that the pre-treatment BA count and post-/pre-treatment NE ratio may be potential prognostic factors for resectable colorectal cancer.

Background Tumor‐educated platelets (TEPs) may enable blood‐based cancer diagnosis. This study aimed to identify diagnostic TEPs genes involved in carcinogenesis. Materials and Methods The TEPs differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between healthy samples and early/advanced cancer samples were obtained using bioinformatics. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were used to identify the pathways and functional annotation of TEPs DEGs. Protein‐protein interaction of these TEPs DEGs was analyzed based on the STRING database and visualized by Cytoscape software. The correlation analysis and diagnostic analysis were performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of TEPs mRNAs expression for early/advanced cancers. Quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) was applied to validate the role of DEGs in cancers. Results TEPs mRNAs were mostly involved in protein binding, extracellular matrix, and cellular protein metabolic process. RSL24D1 was negatively correlated to early‐stage cancers compared to healthy controls and may be potentially used for early cancer diagnosis. In addition, HPSE, IFI27, LGALS3BP, CRYM, HBD, COL6A3, LAMB2, and IFITM3 showed an upward trend in the expression from early to advanced cancer stages. Moreover, ARL2, FCGR2A, and KLHDC8B were positively associated with advanced, metastatic cancers compared to healthy controls. Among the 12 selected DEGs, the expression of 7 DEGs, including RSL24D1, IFI27, CRYM, HBD, IFITM3, FCGR2A, and KLHDC8B, were verified by the qRT‐PCR method. Conclusion This study suggests that the 7‐gene TEPs liquid‐biopsy biomarkers may be used for cancer diagnosis and monitoring.