AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Disorders of hemostasis in patients with malignancies are based on several mechanisms, such as ability of the tumor to alter the coagulation system by producing blood clotting factors or decreasing their inhibitors by increasing fibrinolysis, and by inducing an alteration of blood vessels in relation to the state of local invasion. We investigated the fibrinolytic system marker alpha2-antiplasmin-plasmin complex (APP) and clotting system marker thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) in patients with breast cancer and compare them with CA 15-3, the most well-known breast cancer antigen. METHODS: Plasma levels of APP and TAT and serum level of CA 15-3 were determined in 57 patients with breast cancer (28 in remission and 29 with active breast cancer) and 13 healthy women. RESULTS: In patients with active breast cancer, plasma APP levels were significantly elevated compared to those of other groups (P<0.05). In addition, we observed a poor but positive correlation between plasma levels of APP and those of CA 15-3 (r=0.24; P=0.038). Plasma TAT levels, which reflect the activation of thrombin, were also significantly elevated in patients with active breast cancer (P<0.01), and there was a significant correlation between CA 15-3 and TAT (r=0.24; P=0.041). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that increased APP and TAT levels might reflect enhanced activation of coagulation and the fibrinolytic system in patients with active breast cancer.
AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Disorders of hemostasis in patients with malignancies are based on several mechanisms, such as ability of the tumor to alter the coagulation system by producing blood clotting factors or decreasing their inhibitors by increasing fibrinolysis, and by inducing an alteration of blood vessels in relation to the state of local invasion. We investigated the fibrinolytic system marker alpha2-antiplasmin-plasmin complex (APP) and clotting system marker thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) in patients with breast cancer and compare them with CA 15-3, the most well-known breast cancer antigen. METHODS: Plasma levels of APP and TAT and serum level of CA 15-3 were determined in 57 patients with breast cancer (28 in remission and 29 with active breast cancer) and 13 healthy women. RESULTS: In patients with active breast cancer, plasma APP levels were significantly elevated compared to those of other groups (P<0.05). In addition, we observed a poor but positive correlation between plasma levels of APP and those of CA 15-3 (r=0.24; P=0.038). Plasma TAT levels, which reflect the activation of thrombin, were also significantly elevated in patients with active breast cancer (P<0.01), and there was a significant correlation between CA 15-3 and TAT (r=0.24; P=0.041). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that increased APP and TAT levels might reflect enhanced activation of coagulation and the fibrinolytic system in patients with active breast cancer.