Prognostic value of the post-operative red blood cell distribution width in patients with rectal cancer with neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by surgery

Purposes Several studies have reported that elevated red  cell distribution width (RDW) is related to poor prognosis in several cancers; however, the prognostic significance of perioperative RDW in rectal cancer patients which received neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (NACRT) is unclear. Methods A total of 120 rectal cancer patients who received NACRT followed surgery were retrospectively reviewed from Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University between 2013 to 2015. Data for peripheral blood tests prior to the initiation of NACRTbefore surgery and first chemotherapy after surgery were collectedrespectively. The optimal cutoff values of RDW was determined by ROC analysis, respectively. The relationship between RDW and the prognosis of patients was evaluated by, respectively. Results The post-operative RDWHigh (≥15.55) patients had significantly worse five-year overall survival (OS, P=0.001) and disease-free survival (DFS, P=0.001) than the post-operative RDWLow (<15.55) patients, respectively. Whereas high pre-operative RDW  (≥16.45) was the only marker correlated with worse DFS (P=0.005) than the pre-operative RDWLow (<16.45)patients, no relationship was found between pre-RDW and prognosis(OS, P=0.069; DFS, P=0.133). Multivariate analysis showed post-operative RDW had better predictive value than pre-RDW and pre-operative RDW. Conclusion Post-operative RDW might be a useful prognostic indicator in rectal cancer patients received neoadjuvant chemoradiation.