Purpose: In patients with malignancies, thrombocytosis has been
related to the disease stage and survival rate. In this study, special
interest was directed to the possible prognostic significance of the
platelet counts at diagnosis in patients with gastric cancer.
Methods: Three hundred and sixty-one patients with histologically
confirmed gastric cancer who were underwent surgery at the Department of
Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital, between January 1994 and December 1998
were reviewed. The relationship between the platelet count (PLT:
109/ℓ), the total WBC count (109/ℓ), the hemoglobin
concentration (Hb; g/㎖), the serum albumin (g/liter), the disease
progression, and the survival rate of the patients were investigated.
Results: Thrombocytosis (PLT greater than 400) was present in 29
patients (8.0%) and anemia (Hb less than 12) was present in 130 patients
(36.0%). The mean value of the PLT count increased significantly according
to the advancement of the disease stage (stage Ⅰ; 242, stage Ⅱ; 258, stage
Ⅲ; 277, stage Ⅳ; 288, P value=0.000). The hemoglobin concentrations were
negatively correlated with the platelet counts (γ= 0.257, P=0.000). The
prevalence of thrombocytosis was 3.0% and 8.3% in patients with stages Ⅰ
and Ⅱ, respectively, which increased to 10.8% and 12.9% in patients with
stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ, respectively. These differences in the prevalence of
thrombocytosis reached statistical significance (P=0.022). The five-year
survival rate in patients with or without thrombocytosis was significantly
different (42.6%, 65.9%, respectively; P=0.0123). Conclusion: Because
patients with thrombocytosis have correlation with advancing stage and a
poor prognosis, the platelet count at diagnosis may give additional
prognostic information for patients with gastric cancer. Elevated platelet
counts are mainly associated with the presence of anemia.
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