Association between preoperative inflammatory biomarkers and postoperative morbidity and mortality in stage I-III colorectal cancer patients: a single-centre prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether preoperative inflammatory biomarkers have prognostic value in terms of postoperative surgical morbidity in stage I-III resectable colorectal cancer. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: This is a single centre study conducted at the general surgery department of Djilali Belkhenchir, formerly Birtraria, Hospital, in Algeria. PARTICIPANTS: We enrolled patients with non-metastatic colorectal cancer who underwent initial curative resection from May 2022 to May 2025. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Preoperative inflammatory biomarkers such as neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelets to lymphocyte ratio, monocyte to lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte×albumin (LA) were calculated based on blood samples taken 30 days prior to surgery. The primary outcome was postoperative morbidity and the secondary outcome was postoperative mortality. RESULTS: 230 patients met the inclusion criteria and had curative resection. Multivariable regression analysis showed that tumour size (OR 1.264, 95% CI 1.098 to 1.455, p<0.001), LA (OR 0.501, 95% CI 0.284 to 0.881, p=0.016) and rectal location (OR 2.569, 95% CI 1.138 to 5.798, p=0.023) were independent factors associated with postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: The LA score, tumour size and tumour location were associated with post-operative morbidity in patients with stage I-III resectable colorectal cancer.