Transient Increase in Thrombin Generation during Radiotherapy of Uterine Carcinoma: A Preliminary Study using Thrombin-Antithrombin III Complex Measurements

Abstract

The question of the study was whether irradiation therapy applied to women with cervical or endometrial carcinoma leads to increased thrombin generation. The study group consisted of 42 women with cervical carcinoma (22 cases) and endometrial carcinoma (20 cases). Irradiation (brachytherapy or/and teletherapy) was applied as follows: 200 cGy/day, 5 days a week, therapeutic dose of 4,500–5,000 cGy. Complexes of thrombin-antithrombin III in blood plasma were measured (ELISA method) before radiotherapy and 4–5 times during therapy. A transient increase in thrombin generation was noticed in 16 of 42 patients: the median value of all ‘peaks’ was 19.25 (range 3.20–30.00 µg/l) in cases of cervical carcinoma, and 14.50 (range 5.25–27.75 µg/l) in cases of endometrial carcinoma. It was concluded that therapeutic doses of ionic energy cause only a transient increase in thrombin generation.

Impact of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy on Thrombin Generation and Platelet Aggregation in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

“…35 In addition, Uszýnski et al showed a transient increase in TAT in 20% of patients during radiotherapy, but no significant difference was found before and after radiotherapy when compared to healthy controls in a study of 46 patients with stage I-IV cervical or endometrial cancer treated with adjuvant or definitive radiotherapy. 36 Sierko et al reported no significant differences in TAT throughout the treatment course in a prospective study of 16 patients with stage IIB-IVa head and neck cancer receiving definitive radiotherapy, post-operative radiotherapy, or chemoradiotherapy. 37 The findings of Uszýnski et al and Lincz et al suggest that radiotherapy might induce increased in vivo thrombin generation.…”

Radiation Induced-Tubulogenesis in Endothelial Cells is Antagonized by the Antiangiogenic Properties of Green Tea Polyphenol (-) Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate

“…Finally, recent evidence concluded that therapeutic doses of ionic energy caused a transient increase in thrombin generation during radiotherapy. 64 As combined antiangiogenic/radiotherapy treatments are already underway as Clinical Phase I trials in adult patients, we propose that the cooperative anti-tumoral effects of naturally occurring green tea polyphenols possessing anti-angiogenic properties combined with irradiation treatments will help optimize the present clinical treatments. The synergistic effects obtained when radiotherapy is combined with low-dose metronomic anti-angiogenic therapy should thus provide the underpinnings for the development of new therapeutic strategies using a nutraceutical approach.…”