Published online Oct 15, 2022. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v14.i10.2014
Peer-review started: June 8, 2022
First decision: June 23, 2022
Revised: July 6, 2022
Accepted: August 22, 2022
Article in press: August 22, 2022
Published online: October 15, 2022
Processing time: 128 Days and 6.9 Hours
Multiple classes of molecular biomarkers were studied as potential predictors for rectal cancer (RC) response but there was no sufficient evidence for any of them to be introduced into clinical practice.
To assess the predictive effect of pre-neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels on the prognosis of stage II/III RC patients.
The objective of this study is to establish a novel serum tumor biomarker score by combining pre-NCRT CEA and CA19-9 levels. The novel serum tumor biomarker (NSTB) score may predict the prognosis of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) of clinical stage II/III who underwent NCRT independently.
A total of 237 patients were included in this study. CEA and CA 19-9 levels were evaluated 1 wk before NCRT. The NSTB score was as follows: score 0: pre-NCRT CEA < 3.55 and CA19-9 < 19.01; score 2: pre-NCRT CEA > 3.55 and CA19-9 > 19.01; score 1: other situations. Pathological information was recorded according to histopathological reports after the operation.
In the univariate analysis, pre-NCRT CEA < 3.55, pre-NCRT CA19-9 < 19.01, and a lower NSTB score could predict a better prognosis. However, in the multivariate analysis, only a lower NSTB score and higher pathological tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage were independent predictive factors.
We established a novel serum tumor biomarker score by combining pre-NCRT CEA and CA19-9 levels. The NSTB score can independently predict the prognosis of patients with LARC of clinical stage II/III who underwent NCRT.
More accurate prediction models need to be established by studies with a larger number of patients.