Is Early Detection of Colon Cancer Possible with Red Blood Cell Distribution Width?

Background: Red cell distribution width (RDW) is one of the standard parameters with blood cell counts.Much previous research has indicated that it increases in cases of systemic inflammation or cardiametabolicincident. However, information on the relation of RDW with solid tumors causing systemic inflammation islimited. In the present research, we examined the relation of RDW with malignant and benign lesions of the colon.Materials and
Methods: 115 patients with colon polyps (group 1), and 30 with colon cancer (group 2) who werediagnosed histopathologically in our clinic between January 2010-January 2013 were scanned retrospectively.Patients with anemia, hematologic diseases and active inflammation were excluded. RDW, mean corpuscularvolume (MCV), hemoglobin (Hgb) and platelet (Plt) measurements were recorded and their relations with themalignant and benign lesions of the colon were examined.
Results: Both groups were similar in age and genderdistribution. RDW values of patients with colon cancer were significantly higher than the patients with colonpolyp (p=0,01). No significant differences were detected between the two groups in terms of MCV and Pltvalues (p>0,05).
Conclusions: RDW can be used as an early warning biomarker for solid colon tumors. Furtherprospective research is required on the relations of cheap and easily measured RDW parameters with colonmalignancies.