Diagnostic Power of Blood Parameters as Screening Markers in Gastric Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. Since development is usually asymptomatic, it is generally diagnosed at an advanced stage. The value of screening in patients with nonspecific symptoms for GC is controversial.

AIM: The study aimed to evaluate whether hematological parameters (platelet count (PC), mean platelet volume (MPV), MPV/PC ratio, red blood cell distribution width (RDW), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR)) are useful markers to differentiate between gastric cancer patients and healthy individuals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-one patients with gastric cancer and sixty-one healthy individuals were enrolled to the survey and a retrospective analysis of selected blood parameters was performed.

RESULTS: The mean values of PC, MPV, RDW, NLR, and PLR were significantly higher in GC patients compared to the control group. No statistical differences were observed in MPV/PC ratios. Likewise, no significant statistical differences were revealed in values of blood parameters among TNM stage groups. The RDW showed the highest diagnostic specificity and sensitivity.

CONCLUSIONS: Hematological parameters: PC, MPV, RDW, NLR, PLR have diagnostic power and can discriminate patients with gastric cancer from patients without cancer. Blood parameters compared with clinical symptoms might alert physicians and patients and lead to performancce of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, the gold standard in gastric cancer screening and thereby increase the early detection of cancer.