Moreover, as shown in Table 3, cox regression model showed chemotherapy-associated lymphopenia <0.91 × 109/L (HR, 2.083 ; 95% CI = 1.103-3.936), pretreatment CEA ≥10 ng ml-1 (HR, 1.900; 95% CI = 1.056-3.416), stage III (HR, 3.641; 95% CI = 1.980-6.697) were independent prognostic factors for OS, and 77 (31.7%) cases had all of those negative prognostic factors. This evidence concerns the gene CEACAM5 and lymphopenia.