Tumor cell prothrombotic properties.

Thrombin generation and fibrin formation are constantly determined in patients with malignancy, who are at increased risk of thromboembolic complications. Most importantly, fibrin formation is also involved in the processes of tumor spread and metastasis. Activation of blood coagulation in cancer is a complex phenomenon, involving many different pathways of the hemostatic system and numerous interactions of the tumor cell with other blood cells, including platelet, monocyte and endothelial cell. Tumor cells possess the capacity to interact with all parts of the hemostatic system. They can directly activate the coagulation cascade by producing their own procoagulant factors or they can stimulate the prothrombotic properties of other blood cell components. All of the mechanisms are not entirely understood, however research studies in the last ten years have greatly improved our knowledge of tumor-promoted pro-thrombotic functions.