Lymphovascular invasion in colorectal cancers: can we predict it preoperatively?

This study aimed to investigate preoperative predictors of lymphovascular invasion (LVI), which is a poor prognostic factor usually detected postoperatively in patients with colorectal cancer.

Results for all patients operated on for colorectal cancer between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2021, were retrospectively analyzed. Potential preoperative factors and postoperative pathology results were recorded. The patients were categorized as those with LVI and those without LVI. Potential factors that may be associated with LVI were compared between the 2 groups.

The study included 335 patients. The incidence of LVI was 3.11 times higher in patients with ascending colon tumors (odds ratio [OR], 3.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-7.23; P=0.008) and 4.28 times higher in those with metastatic tumors (OR, 4.28; 95% CI, 2.18-8.39; P<0.001). Diabetes mellitus was inversely related to LVI in colorectal cancer patients; specifically, LVI was 56% less common in colorectal cancer patients with diabetes mellitus, irrespective of its duration (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.25-0.76; P<0.001).

The presence of preoperative LVI in colorectal cancer patients is difficult to predict. In particular, the effect of the effect of factors such as chronic disease accompanied by microvascular pathologies on LVI is still unclear. Advances in the neoadjuvant treatment of colorectal cancer patients, who are becoming more widespread every day, will encourage the investigation of different methods of preoperatively predicting LVI as a poor prognostic factor in these patients.