To investigate the efficacy of XELOX chemotherapy combined with thalidomide in the treatment of rectal cancer and the effect on tumor abnormal protein (TAP) and adenomatous polyposis col (APC) proteins.

A total of 124 patients with rectal cancer treated at our hospital from January, 2016 to January, 2018 were selected and randomly divided into a control group and an observation group using random number table method, 62 for each group. The control group were treated with XELOX chemotherapy, and the observation group with XELOX chemotherapy and thalidomide. The treatment effects, the levels of serum tumor markers, TAP, and APC before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. And the incidence of adverse reactions was compared between the two groups.

The effective rate was significantly in the observation group than in the control group, with a statistical difference (P<0.05). After the treatment, the CD8⁺ level was significantly lower and the levels of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ were significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group, with statistical differences (all P<0.05). After the treatment, the positive expression rate of TAP was significantly lower and the positive expression rate of APC protein was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group, with statistical differences (both P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between these two groups (P>0.05).

XELOX chemotherapy combined with thalidomide for patients with colorectal cancer can significantly improve the efficacy and is safe, so it is worth being clinically generalized.

XELOX chemotherapy; Thalidomide; Colorectal cancer; Tumor abnormal protein; Adenomatous polyposis col