This study looked at patients with stage III colon cancer who had surgery and patients with benign colon lesions. Researchers examined preoperative blood scores called HALP, SII, and LMR to see how well they predicted outcomes.
The group included 210 patients with stage III cancer and 220 patients with benign lesions. The team found that these blood markers showed moderate ability to distinguish between malignant and benign conditions. For cancer patients, lower HALP and LMR scores were linked to better disease-free survival. Higher tumor stage and fewer chemotherapy cycles were also linked to outcomes.
The researchers built a prediction tool called a nomogram. This tool showed good discrimination in both the training and validation groups. The study design was retrospective, meaning it looked back at existing data. Because of this, the findings show associations rather than proving cause and effect. Readers should view these results as a starting point for understanding risk, not as a final rule for treatment decisions.