Can a blood test predict your response to chemotherapy?

This study examined whether the albumin to globulin ratio (a measure of inflammation in the body) could predict the response to chemotherapy in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. Patients with colorectal cancer that has spread from its original site and whose cancer cannot be removed surgically generally have worse outcomes.

The response of patients to chemotherapy can vary. This means that methods of predicting the response to treatments are very important.

The albumin to globulin ratio (AGR) is now being looked at as a test to predict patients’ response to chemotherapy. A decreased AGR is thought to be linked increased inflammation in the patient’s body. This inflammation results in increased levels of chemicals that are thought to cause cancer progression, invasion and resistance to chemotherapy.

66 patients with colorectal cancer were included in this study. All of these patients had their cancer spread from its original site. Also, none of the tumors were treatable with surgery.

The levels of albumin and globulin in the patients’ blood were measured before starting treatment. All patients then underwent a combination of different chemotherapies. Response to chemotherapy was measured after 8 weeks. 

Patients with a high AGR were over 2.6 times more likely to have a long progression free survival. Also, patients with a high AGR were over 2.2 times more likely to survive for the duration of the trial.

This study concluded that measuring the AGR before chemotherapy treatment may be useful in predicting the outcome of patients with colorectal cancer that has spread and is not removable using surgery.

Further trials are required to fully evaluate these findings. The study had a small number of patients and should be repeated in larger numbers.

Discuss with your doctor whether measuring the albumin globulin ratio (AGR) would be useful for you.