Stage-dependent and heterogeneous tumor association of Fusobacterium nucleatum in Romanian patients with colon adenocarcinoma

Table 1 Baseline demographic, clinicopathological, and surgical characteristics, n (%)

Variable	Value
Age, median (IQR), years	67 (65-73)
Sex	Female 4 (27); male 11 (73)
Smoking status	Former 6 (40); never 9 (60)
Tumor localization	Right colon 8 (53); left colon 1 (7); sigmoid 6 (40)
Preoperative T stage	T2 6 (40); T3 8 (53); T4 1 (7)
Preoperative N stage	N0 4 (27); N1 8 (53); N2 3 (20)
Surgical approach	Laparoscopic 10 (67); open 5 (33)
Type of resection	Hemicolectomy 9 (60); segmental 6 (40)
Anastomosis type	Manual 11 (73); mechanical 4 (27)
Operative duration, median (IQR), min	180 (160-200)

IQR: Interquartile range.

Table 2 Baseline laboratory and inflammatory parameters

Variable	Median (IQR)
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	11.92 (11.14-12.40)
White blood cell count (/µL)	7000 (6320-8360)
C-reactive protein (mg/dL)	0.70 (0.30-1.25)
Fibrinogen (mg/dL)	378 (327-421)
Albumin (g/dL)	4.15 (3.93-4.52)

IQR: Interquartile range.

Table 3 Molecular marker cycle threshold values in tumor and adjacent tissue

Marker	Median (IQR)
MicroRNA-21	19.11 (17.09-21.90)
U6 small nuclear RNA	16.30 (15.60-17.46)
FS17 tumor tissue	25.44 (24.20-29.22)
FS17 adjacent tissue	25.10 (23.80-27.60)

IQR: Interquartile range.

Table 4 MicroRNA-21 and FS17 tumor cycle threshold values by sex and smoking status

Group	mean Ct ± SD	Median (min-max)	P value
miR-21 - female	20.7 ± 2.77	20.9 (17.27-23.72)	0.43
miR-21 - male	19.27 ± 3.21	18.93 (16.32-26.49)
miR-21 - former smokers	20.06 ± 3.71	19.29 (16.32-26.49)	0.70
miR-21 - never smokers	19.38 ± 2.76	19.11 (16.33-23.72)
FS17 tumor - female	26.96 ± 3.99	25.56 (24.09-32.65)	0.99
FS17 tumor - male	26.97 ± 3.69	25.44 (23.10-34.31)
FS17 tumor - former smokers	26.88 ± 4.33	24.96 (23.10-32.65)	0.94
FS17 tumor - never smokers	27.03 ± 3.35	25.96 (24.09-34.31)

Ct: Cycle threshold; miR-21: MicroRNA-21.

Table 5 FS17 tumor cycle threshold values by preoperative tumor and nodal stage

Stage	mean Ct ± SD	Median (min-max)	P value
T2	24.63 ± 1.45	24.20 (23.10-26.80)	0.01
T3-T4	28.53 ± 3.85	29.03 (24.20-34.31)
N0	24.34 ± 1.19	24.14 (23.10-25.96)	0.20
N1	27.51 ± 3.98	26.06 (23.52-34.31)
N2	29.04 ± 3.61	29.03 (25.44-32.65)

Ct: Cycle threshold.