PLASMA TETRANECTIN AND COLORECTAL-CANCER

The prognostic significance of plasma tetranectin (PL-TN) in colorecta l cancer was retrospectively examined in 504 patients (80 Dukes' A, 17 4 Dukes' B, 98 Dukes' C and 152 Dukes' I). Follow-up time was 7-12 yea rs. No significant prognostic variable was found for Dukes' A patients by Cox multivariate analysis. In stage B, PL-TN was the second strong est prognostic variable [relative hazard (RH) = 3.3 for patients with PL-TN less than or equal to 7.5 mg/l]. The other prognostic variables were perineural invasion (RH = 3.7), tumour distance less than or equa l to 10 cm from the anal verge (RH = 3.0), postoperative radiotherapy (RH = 2.9) and a high carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) score (RH = 1.8). In Dukes' C, only CEA score and gender were of prognostic significanc e. For Dukes' D, PL-TN was the only prognostic variable (RH = 1.7). Te sting ah patients in one multivariate analysis, Dukes' staging was the strongest and PL-TN the second strongest prognostic variable. The sho rtened survival for patients with low PL-TN levels is illustrated with lifetables.