Clotting activation and impairment of fibrinolysis in malignancy.

Different coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters were investigated in 149 patients with metastatic and non-metastatic tumours and results were compared with those obtained in a healthy population. Results showed a significant increase of thrombin-antithrombin complexes, fibrinopeptide A (FPA) and fibrin monomers in the group of patients (p less than 0.001). There was also a significant prolongation of euglobulin lysis time (p less than 0.005) and an increase of plasminogen activator inhibitor activity (p less than 0.0001), fibrinogen degradation products (p less than 0.001), and D-dimer (p less than 0.05) in the group of patients as compared to controls; FPA levels were also increased in patients with metastases (p less than 0.005). This study demonstrates clotting activation, at the level of fibrinogen to fibrin conversion, and impairment of fibrinolysis in patients with malignancy.