The impact of different treatments on thromboelastography and other conventional parameters in patients with colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To comprehend the effects of diverse therapeutic interventions on thromboelastography (TEG) and conventional coagulation parameters among individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer, this study aims to explore the clinical relevance of both thromboelastography and conventional coagulation metrics in evaluating coagulation function and predicting the incidence of thrombotic and hemorrhagic events in patients with colorectal cancer.

METHODS

A cohort of 122 patients with colorectal cancer retrospectively recruited and divided into 2 groups: those undergoing surgical intervention (operation group) and those not subjected to surgery (non-operation group). According to the different types of treatment they received, the operation group was divided into chemotherapy-only group and a group receiving a combination of targeted therapy and chemotherapy. Blood samples were collected on admission and subjected to coagulation parameter assessment, including conventional coagulation tests and thromboelastography (TEG) assessment. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to predict the occurrence of complications in patients with colorectal cancer.

RESULTS

Compared with the operation group, the non-operation group showed significant reductions in reaction time(R-time) and kinetics time (K-time), and significant elevation in angle, maximum amplitude (MA), fibrinogen and platelets. Patients receiving targeted therapy and chemotherapy had lower angle and maximum amplitude and higher R-time and K-time, activated partial thromboplastin time and fibrinogen. The area under the curve for TEG in patients without treatment was 0.802. The area under the curve for TEG and conventional coagulation parameters were 0.654 and 0.660 respectively.

CONCLUSION

Diverse treatments distinctly impact on the coagulation indicators of individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The coagulation parameters observed in patients prior to operation suggest a hypercoagulable state. Nevertheless, following postoperative chemotherapy and targeted therapy, this hypercoagulable state demonstrates a notable improvement, occasionally leading to a propensity for hypocoagulation. The findings of this investigation underscore the unique clinical importance of thromboelastography (TEG) alongside traditional coagulation parameters, demonstrating that these diagnostic tools possess complementary value and cannot be substituted interchangeably.