title: Platelets and their role in cancer evolution and immune system.
abstract: Platelets are anucleate fragments formed from the cytoplasm of megakaryocytes and represent the smallest circulating hematopoietic cells. Thought for almost a century to possess solely hemostatic potentials, platelets actually play a much wider role in tissue regeneration and repair and interact intimately with tumor cells. On the one hand, tumor cells induce platelet aggregation, known to act as the trigger of cancer-associated thrombosis and on the other hand, platelets recruited to the tumor microenvironment interact directly with tumor cells favoring proliferation, and indirectly through the release of angiogenic and mitogenic proteins. Furthermore, platelets are immunosuppressive cells that protect metastatic cancer cells from surveillance by killer cells, nullifying the effects of immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quiron-Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 3 Pangaea Biotech, Barcelona, Spain ; 4 Catalan Institute of Oncology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain ; 5 Molecular Oncology Research (MORe) Foundation, Barcelona, Spain ; 6 Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: Niki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karachaliou
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quiron-Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 3 Pangaea Biotech, Barcelona, Spain ; 4 Catalan Institute of Oncology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain ; 5 Molecular Oncology Research (MORe) Foundation, Barcelona, Spain ; 6 Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pilotto
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quiron-Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 3 Pangaea Biotech, Barcelona, Spain ; 4 Catalan Institute of Oncology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain ; 5 Molecular Oncology Research (MORe) Foundation, Barcelona, Spain ; 6 Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bria
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quiron-Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 3 Pangaea Biotech, Barcelona, Spain ; 4 Catalan Institute of Oncology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain ; 5 Molecular Oncology Research (MORe) Foundation, Barcelona, Spain ; 6 Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosell
keywords: Platelets; cancer; hemostasis; immune system; metastasis; tumor cell-induced platelet aggregation (TCIPA)