İnvestigation of prognostic factors in patients with stage II-III colon cancer

BACKGROUNDThe aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic factors that affect the disease free and overall survival in local advanced colon cancer.METHODSBetween January 1999 and Augost 2010, 174 patients diagnosed of stage II and III colon cancer in the follow-up of Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine Oncology Clinic were investigated for clinicopathologic data retrospectively.RESULTSAs factors affecting disease free survival evaluated on the univariate analysis, presentation with obstruction or perforation, elevated level of preoperative CEA, presence of lymphatic invasion and insufficient number of lymph node removed were indicators of poor prognosis. However history of obstruction and perforation was determined as the only independent prognostic factor on multivariate analysis. İnsufficient number of lymph node removed and presence of lymphatic invasion were found to be associated with reduced overall survival on both univariate and multivariate analyses.CONCLUSIONPresentation with obstruction or perforation, presence of lymphatic invasion and that the total number of lymph node being less than 12 are the factors affecting prognosis. Accordingly, these factors should be taken into consideration when planning follow-up and treatment processes after surgery, which will increase the chance of long term survival.