PERIOPERATIVE HEPARIN - A POSSIBLE ADJUVANT TO SURGERY IN COLORECTAL-CANCER

Analysis of data from a randomised trial of adjuvant razoxane involvin g 603 patients with colo-rectal cancer having curative surgery is repo rted. The results show that razoxane was ineffective but peri-operativ e subcutaneous heparin treatment apparently conferred a statistically significant improvement in survival at 5 years, or equivalently a redu ction in the risk of death. This beneficial effect is apparent in both razoxane treated and control patients and is not explained by demonst rable differences between heparin and non-heparin treated patients in the distribution of known prognostic factors. Adjustment for these fac tors slightly increased the apparent magnitude of the beneficial effec t.