Coagulation/fibrinolysis balance and lung cancer.
Forty-eight patients with freshly diagnosed carcinoma of the lung (40 males, 8 females) were evaluated for a coagulation profile including activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen, F VIII R:Ag, fibrin monomers (FM), thrombin-antithrombin-III complex (TAT-III), D-dimers and the platelet count. Thirty-eight patients had a normal aPTT and 37 patients a normal PT. None of the patients had clinical or laboratory indications of serious hemorrhage or thrombosis. On the other hand, high percentages of increased values were found for fibrinogen and F VIII R:Ag, which can be seen as prethrombotic factors. The very high percentages of elevated results for the FM, TAT-III and D-dimer are strongly indicative for low-grade coagulation activation with reactive fibrinolysis. Nevertheless, most lung cancer patients are able to maintain a normal or near normal hemostatic function. The results shown here are indicative of a coagulation and fibrinolysis equilibrium at an enhanced level and demonstrate why an unbalance between the two systems can result in thrombotic complications in (lung) cancer patients as earlier reported.
van Wersch
J W
JW
Hematological Laboratory, De Wever Hospital, Heerlen, The Netherlands.
Tjwa
M K
MK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000502:physiology*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control