The role of platelets in tumour growth.

Platelets, as initial responders to vascular injury, play a very important role in the initial stages of the haemostatic process. While the role of platelets in coagulation has been well studied and documented, their role in other physiological and pathological processes is just emerging. Platelets contain many biologically active molecules and, as they adhere to sites of tumour activated or injured endothelium, many of these molecules are released into the local microenvironment leading to platelet-mediated effects on vascular tone, repair and neo-angiogenesis. Platelets are likely play important roles in the tumour microenvironment that may be thought of as "a wound that never heals".