Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of all patients in the series and comparison of the groups with lower (≤ 300 × 109/ L) and higher (> 300 × 109/ L) platelet counts n (%)
| Total (%) (n = 51) | ≤ 300 (n = 26) | > 300 (n = 25) | χ2 | |
| Age (yr) | ||||
| > 60 | 21 (41.2) | 10 (38.5) | 11 ( 44.0) | P = 0.69 |
| ≤ 60 | 30 (58.8) | 16 (61.5) | 14 (56.0) | |
| Clinical stage | ||||
| II | 25 (49.0) | 15 (57.7) | 10 (40.0) | P = 0.21 |
| III | 26 (51.0) | 11 (42.3) | 15 (60.0) | |
| CEA (n = 50) | ||||
| > 5 | 25 (50.0) | 11 (44.0) | 14 (56.0) | P = 0.4 |
| < 5 | 25 (50.0) | 14 (56.0) | 11 (44.0) | |
| Symptoms | ||||
| Obstruction/pain | 13 (25.5) | 6 (23.1) | 7 (28.0) | P = 0.69 |
| Bleeding/ asymptomatic | 38 (74.5) | 20 (76.9) | 18 (72.0) | |
| Type of surgery | ||||
| Anterior resection | 27 (52.9) | 13 (50.0) | 14 (56.0) | Anterior resection vs |
| APR | 19 (37.3) | 11 (42.3) | 8 (32.0) | APR/exenteration |
| Pelvic/exenteration | 2 (3.9) | 0 | 2 (8.0) | P = 0.77 |
| None | 3 (5.9) | 2 (7.7) | 1 (4.0) | |
| Pathologic response | ||||
| No response | 15 (29.4) | 8 (30.8) | 7 (28.0) | No/minimal/ |
| Minimal | 7 (13.7) | 4 (15.3) | 3 (12.0) | Moderate resp vs |
| Moderate | 15 (29.4) | 3 (11.6) | 12 (48.0) | Good/complete |
| Good | 5 (9.8) | 5 (19.2) | 0 | P = 0.015 |
| Complete | 9 (17.6) | 6 (23.1) | 3 (12.0) | |
| Lymph nodes at surgery | ||||
| Negative | 31 (60.8) | 15 (57.7) | 16 (64.0) | P = 0.61 |
| Positive | 16 (31.4) | 9 (34.6) | 7 (28.0) | |
| No surgery | 3 (5.9) | 2 (7.7) | 1 (4.0) |
Pre-operative CEA not available in one patient. Lymph node evaluation was not available in the pathology report in one patient. APR: Abdomino-perineal resection; CEA: Carcinoembryonic antigen.