High preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with distant metastases and impaired prognosis after curative resection in patients with colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels on clinicopathologic parameters and overall survival in patients after curative resection with colorectal cancer. METHODS: Preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels were examined in 341 patients who underwent curative resection for colorectal cancer. Preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels were correlated with clinicopathologic findings and disease-specific overall survival. RESULTS: Mean (±SD) preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels were 369.9 mg/dl (±69.1 mg/dl). Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels were associated with advanced tumor stage (P = 0.008), venous invasion (P = 0.006), and postoperative distant metastases (P < 0.001), but not with histologic grade (P = 0.232), invasion depth (P = 0.253), and lymph node involvement (P = 0.136). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels (P = 0.029), histologic grade (P = 0.001), and lymph node involvement (P = 0.001) were defined as independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: High preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with distant metastases and impaired prognosis after curative resection in patients with colorectal cancer.