Predictive value of ABO blood type with Carcinoembryonic antigen in a Nigerians population with preoperative Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Abstract Introduction/Objective Earlier studies speculated possible link between ABO blood type and risk of malignancies. Given recent increase in Colorectal cancer (CRC) cases in Nigeria amidst poor facilities for early diagnosis, unraveling measures for prevention and prognosis become critical options. This study aims at assessing the predictive association of ABO blood types with preoperative Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and some markers of gut immunostasis among southern Nigerian population with CRC. Methods The retrospective study evaluated 200 patients, scheduled for resection surgery for CRC between July, 2018 and September 2019 in Federal medical center Yenegoa, Nigeria. The relationship between the ABO blood types and CEA, interleukins, IL(6 and 8,) and Short chain fatty acids, SCFA (butyrate and propionate) were evaluated preoperatively using immunoturbidimetric assay, ELISA, and GC-MS respectively. The mean age of the patients was 51 years. The distribution of the ABO blood types in the patients were 60 (30.1%) for A, 50 (25%) for B, 79 (39.5%) for O, and 11 (5.5%) for AB. Patients with CEA levels <5 ng/mL, 6-30 ng/mL, and >30 ng/mL were classified as CEA Group 1, group 2 and group 3 respectively. Patient’s blood types, demographic characteristics and tumor locations, were recorded. SPSS, 22 was employed for data analysis. Results We determined a significant correlation between CEA levels and IL 6 in different blood types of CRC patients. No significant correlation was observed between CEA and gender. Blood type A showed significant increase in mean levels of CEA and IL 6 when compared to blood type B and O. No significant difference was observed in the mean SCFA levels among different blood types. Conclusion ABO blood type demonstrated significant prognostic value with CEA in colorectal cancer, with blood type A being most unfavorable.