Anti-cancer drugs
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Pathological complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and total mesorectal excision (TME), in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, occurs in 15-27% of patients. Because blood cell counts and albumin are a direct indicator of the host environment, a response to nCRT might be predicted by these markers. This study was carried out to determine whether the neutrophil to albumin ratio (NAR) was predictive of pCR in veteran patients. ⋯ Overall survival between nonresponders and pCR patients at 1, 5, and 10 years was 96, 62, and 44% versus 93, 85, and 61%, P=0.13, and disease-free survival was 95, 60, and 47% versus 93, 85, and 61%, P=0.17; respectively. Our study shows that the pre-nCRT NAR is an independent predictor of pCR. These findings should be applied to other cohorts to determine its validity and reliability for use as a potential predictor of pCR.