High plasma CD40 ligand level is associated with more advanced stages and worse prognosis in colorectal cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is often associated with elevated platelet count (> 400 × 10/L), known as thrombocytosis. The role of CD40 ligand (CD40L), a member of the tumor necrosis factor family, is controversial in CRC. Circulating CD40L is higher in CRC, but its relationship with disease staging and local and distant metastasis is not clear.

Does diabetes affect paraneoplastic thrombocytosis in colorectal cancer?

Background: A large variety of factors can affect colorectal cancer (CRC) survival, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and paraneoplastic thrombocytosis. Although several common factors play a role in their development and platelets are damaged in both diseases, the combined relationship of the three conditions was never investigated previously.

Methods: A prospective, real-life observational cohort study was conducted with the inclusion of 108 CRC patients and 166 voluntary non-CRC subjects.