title: The structure of the von Willebrand factor is not altered in patients with colorectal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Elevated levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF) are often observed in many diseases including colorectal cancer, but this finding is not definite. The aim of our study was to examine the change in VWF multimer distribution in patients with colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly selected nine patients from each of the four Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stages of colon cancer. VWF antigen (VWF:Ag), VWF-cleaving protease ADAMTS-13 level and factor VIII activity (FVIII:C) were determined. The multimer distribution of VWF was visualized using electrophoretic multimer analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The VWF multimer structure was normal with no difference between the four UICC stages. There was no significant increase in VWF:Ag and FVIII:C levels in the more advanced UICC stages. There was no significant difference in the ADAMTS-13 level according to the UICC stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no change in the VWF multimer distribution to indicate acquired von Willebrand disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine and Haemostaseology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. dominik.weiss@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eiche
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hupke
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Schellerer
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Strasser
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ringwald
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eckstein
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000097:blood; D000071120:ADAMTS13 Protein; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; C029417:Von Willebrand antigen; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D005169:Factor VIII; D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000071120:ADAMTS13 Protein; C099604:ADAMTS13 protein, human