Alteration of Antithrombin III and D-dimer Levels in Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer.
OBJECTIVE
We performed a comparative analysis of the plasma levels of antithrombin (AT) III, plasminogen, fibrinogen, and D-dimer among patients with and without clinically localized prostate cancer to investigate the clinical significance of the coagulation profile in prostate cancer.


METHODS
A prospective study was performed in which plasma levels of AT III, plasminogen, fibrinogen, and D-dimer were assessed in patients before they underwent prostate biopsy. According to the results of the biopsy, the patients were categorized into the cancer group or the control group. Levels of the four coagulation factors were then compared between the cancer and control groups. Also, levels of the four coagulation factors were correlated with tumor stage and grade in the cancer group.


RESULTS
The cancer group had significantly lower levels of AT III activity and higher plasma D-dimer levels than did the control group (p=0.007 and p=0.018, respectively). Within the cancer group, no significant differences were observed in the levels of AT III, plasminogen, fibrinogen, or D-dimer between those with a pathological Gleason score of >/=7 and otherwise. Regarding pathologic stage of prostate cancer, the subjects with organ-confined disease and those with extraprostatic extension of a tumor demonstrated no significant differences in the preoperative levels of the four coagulation factors analyzed.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that plasma levels of AT III and D-dimer are altered in patients with prostate cancer. Further study is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanism and clinical significances of such a phenomenon among patients with clinically localized prostate cancer.
Hong
Sung Kyu
SK
Department of Urology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Ko
Dong Woo
DW
Park
Juhyun
J
Kim
In Sung
IS
Doo
Seung Hwan
SH
Yoon
Cheol Yong
CY
Park
Hongzoo
H
Lee
Won Ki
WK
Kim
Dae Sung
DS
Jeong
Seong Jin
SJ
Byun
Seok-Soo
SS
Lee
Sang Eun
SE