title: Fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products in plasma of patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to correlate the preoperative plasma levels of TDP in patients with colorectal cancer to tumor stage, metastasis, and postoperative thromboembolic complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-one patients with colorectal cancer, 20 patients with colorectal adenoma, and 71 patients without neoplastic lesions in the colon or rectum were included in this prospective study. Before surgery, total fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products (TDP) were measured in plasma of all patients with a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. Phlebography was performed postoperatively in 82 of 91 patients with colorectal cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median TDP in plasma of patients with colorectal cancer (805 (range, 339-5,024) ng fibrinogen equivalents (ngFE)) was significantly higher than TDP in patients with colorectal adenoma (591 (range, 417-1386) ngFE/ml) and TDP in patients without neoplastic lesions in the colon (632.8 (range, 180-2622) ngFE/ml; P < or = 0.003). In patients with colorectal cancer and liver metastasis, TDP in plasma (1085.5 (range, 468-5024) ngFE/ml) was significantly higher than in patients with localized tumor growth (753 (range, (339-2,780) ngFE/ml; P < or = 0.02). Twenty of 82 patients (24 percent) with cancer developed thromboembolic complications. TDP was preoperatively significantly higher in this group of patients (1,101 (range, 468-2,167) ngFE/ml) compared with patients without thromboembolic complications (753 (range, 339-5024) ngFE/ml; P < or = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative plasma levels of TDP were elevated in patients with colorectal cancer, especially in patients with liver metastasis and in patients developing postoperative deep venous thrombosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery D, Glostrup Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okholm
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Iversen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Thorlacius-Ussing
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ejlersen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boesby
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D005337:Fibrin