Preoperative plasma soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor as a prognostic marker in rectal cancer patients. An EORTC-receptor and Biomarker Group collaboration
Background and aims: Since approximately 30% of patients with Dukes' stage B colorectal cancer will experience disease recurrence within five years of primary treatment, current staging of patients with early colorectal cancer apparently fails to adequately predict patient outcome. It has previously been shown that the preoperative plasma concentration of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator re