Prognostic value of chemotherapy-induced hematological toxicity in metastatic colorectal cancer patients

AIM: To establish whether chemotherapy-induced neutropenia is predictive of better outcome in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). METHODS: Survival and patient characteristics from consecutive mCRC patients treated in the Centre Georges Francois Leclerc, Dijon, France between January 2001 and December 2011 were analyzed. Patient and tumor characteristics, hematological toxicity (neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia), and type of chemotherapy received were recorded. RESULTS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 399 consecutive patients with mCRC who received at least one line of chemotherapy. Median follow up was 6.3 years. Eighty-eight percent of the patients received more than two lines of chemotherapy. By univariate analysis, whatever their grade, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occurring during the first two lines of chemotherapy were significantly associated with better overall survival (HR = 0.55, 95%CI: 0.43-0.70, P < 0.0001 and HR = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.56-0.88, P = 0.025 respectively). In contrast, anemia during chemotherapy was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (HR = 1.9, 95%CI: 1.22-2.97, P = 0.005). Multivariate analysis revealed that both neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were significantly associated with better overall survival: HR = 0.43, 95%CI: 0.29-0.64, P < 0.0001 and HR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.49-0.98, P = 0.036, respectively. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that occurrence of neutropenia or thrombocytopenia during first- or second-line chemotherapy for mCRC is associated with better survival.