Is preoperative hypoproteinemia associated with colorectal cancer stage and postoperative complications?

Abstract

Aim To investigate the relationship between preoperative level of serum albumin in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), stage of CRC and postoperative complications. Methods This cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at the Clinic for General and Abdominal Surgery of the University Clinical Centre Sarajevo (UCCS). A total of 107 patients surgically treated for CRC in the period between 2013 and 2018 were enrolled in this study and divided into two groups: with hypoalbuminemia (group A) and without hypoalbuminemia (group B). Results The average level of albumin in group A was 29 (25-32) g/L versus 39 (37-41) g/L in group B (p0.05). Conclusion Study results show that preoperatively measured levels of serum albumin are not associated with the stage of colorectal cancer and cannot serve as predictors for postoperative complications.

Keywords

• colorectal neoplasms
• complications
• postoperative period
• serum