Phase angle as a prognostic biomarker in metastatic colorectal cancer: A prospective trial

Table 1 Patients’ characteristics at baseline, n (%)

Characteristic		n = 144	PA < 4.60° (n = 63)	PA ≥ 4.60° (n = 81)	P (χ2, U)1
Age (years)	Median	62	64	62	0.336
	Range	22-82	35-82	22-78
Sex	Men	79 (54.9)	24 (38.1)	55 (67.9)	< 0.001
	Women	65 (45.1)	39 (61.9)	26 (32.1)
ECOG PS	0	133 (92.4)	56 (88.9)	77 (95.1)	0.167
	1	11 (7.6)	7 (11.1)	4 (4.9)
Sidedness	Left	123 (85.4)	57 (90.5)	66 (81.5)	0.129
	Right	21 (14.6)	6 (9.5)	15 (18.5)
Mutation status	Wild type	60 (41.7)	22 (34.9)	38 (46.9)	0.211
	RAS mutated	79 (54.9)	37 (58.7)	42 (51.9)
	BRAF mutated	4 (2.8)	3 (4.8)	1 (1.2)
	Unknown	1 (0.7)	1 (1.6)	0
Biological agent	anti-EGFR	59 (41.0)	23 (36.5)	36 (44.4)	0.324
	bevacizumab	81 (56.3)	37 (58.7)	44 (54.3)
	None	4 (2.8)	3 (4.8)	1 (1.2)
Primary tumor resection	Yes	117 (81.3)	49 (77.8)	68 (84.0)	0.346
	No	27 (18.8)	14 (22.2)	13 (16.0)
Liver metastases	Yes	102 (70.8)	43 (68.3)	59 (72.8)	0.548
	No	42 (29.2)	20 (31.7)	22 (27.2)
Peritoneal metastases	Yes	46 (31.9)	15 (23.8)	31 (38.3)	0.065
	No	98 (68.1)	48 (76.2)	50 (61.7)

¹Differences between groups were tested using the χ² test for categorical and U test for continuous variables.

ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; PS: Performance status; RAS: Rat sarcoma; EGFR: Epidermal growth factor receptor; PA: Phase angle.

Table 2 Cox multiple regression model for progression-free survival as outcome

		Hazard ratio	95%CI		P value
			Lower	Upper
Age		1.00	0.98	1.02	0.840
Sex	Women	1.18	0.42	1.81	0.437
	Men	1 (Ref.)
ECOG PS	0	0.74	0.37	1.51	0.414
	1	1 (Ref.)
Phase angle	≥ 4.60°	0.64	0.42	0.98	0.040
	< 4.60°	1 (Ref.)
Primary tumor sidedness	Left	1.13	0.65	1.94	0.668
	Right	1 (Ref.)
Resection of the primary tumor	No	1.86	1.16	2.98	0.010
	Yes	1 (Ref.)
RAS status	Mutated	1.16	0.78	1.71	0.462
	Wild type	1 (Ref.)
Liver metastases	Absent	0.77	0.50	1.17	0.223
	Present	1 (Ref.)
Peritoneal metastases	Absent	0.57	0.37	0.87	0.009
	Present	1 (Ref.)

ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; PS: Performance status; RAS: Rat sarcoma; CI: Confidence interval.

Table 3 Best response, n (%)

		PA < 4.60° (n = 63)	PA ≥ 4.60° (n = 81)	P (χ2) value
CR	4 (2.8)	2 (3.2)	2 (2.5)
PR	69 (47.9)	25 (39.7)	44 (54.3)
SD	52 (36.1)	20 (31.7)	32 (39.5)
PD	19 (13.2)	16 (25.4)	3 (3.7)
CR + PR	73 (50.7)	27 (42.9)	46 (56.8)	0.097
DCR (CR + PR + SD)	125 (86.8)	47 (74.6)	78 (96.3)	< 0.001

CR: Complete response; PR: Partial response; SD: Stable disease; PD: Progressive disease; DCR: Disease control rate; PA: Phase angle.