Fibrinolytic activity in malignant disease.

Abstract

Resting fibrinolytic activity and fibrinolytic capacity were compared in 31 patients with malignant disease and in 24 control subjects without malignant disease. Patients with malignant disease had a lower mean fibrinolytic activity: this was particularly marked in those with disseminated disease. In contrast, patients with malignant disease had a fibrinolytic capacity which did not differ from that of the control subjects.

The plasminogen-plasmin system in malignancy

“…The results include abnormal levels of coagulation factors as well as the fibrinolytic components [145][146][147][148][149][150][151][152][153][154][155][156][157][158][159][160][161]. In the observations of the latter group of factors, most notably are the global tests showing a decrease of plasma fibrinolytic activity, as indicated by the euglobulin lysis time and the fibrin plate lysis of euglobulin fractions [162][163][164][165]. More specific assays of PAs, tPA, Pg, alpha 2-antiplasmin, and PAl were carried out in some studies, with findings generally correlated to an overall impaired fibrinolytic activity [166][167][168][169][170].…”

“…In the observations of the latter group of factors, most notably are the global tests showing a decrease of plasma fibrinolytic activity, as indicated by the euglobulin lysis time and the fibrin plate lysis of euglobulin fractions [162][163][164][165]. More specific assays of PAs, tPA, Pg, alpha 2-antiplasmin, and PAl were carried out in some studies, with findings generally correlated to an overall impaired fibrinolytic activity [166][167][168][169][170]. These changes were not correlated to the presence or absence of extensive metastasis nor with tumor types or localization.…”

Fibrinolytic Profiles in Patients with Small Cell Carcinoma of the Lung

“…8 ' 9 Production of plasminogen activator by tumor cells and the generation of plasmin by proteolytic activation of plasminogen is associated with various aspects of malignant transformation, tumor invasion, and metastasis. [8][9][10] In tumor tissue, components of the fibrinolytic system such as fibrinogen, plasminogen, urokinase plasminogen activators (u-PA), tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasmin, antiplasmin, and tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor (t-PAI) are present, also fibrinogen, noncrosslinked and cross-linked fibrin, as well as various FDPs are identified. [11][12][13][14] Small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCCL) accounts for 20 to 25% of all lung cancer and is distinguished from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by rapid growth, highly metastatic potential, and sensitivity to chemotherapy.…”

Chronic Intravascular Coagulation and Fibrinolysis (ICF) Syndromes (DIC)

“…However, the shortened survival of radio-fibrinogen, corrected by heparin therapy, suggests a clotting process, perhaps localized to the tumor site [20]. Fibrinolysis is probably continuous since plasminogen is often depressed [195]. This may account for the presence of high-molecular-weight components of fibrin complexes [137].…”