Systemic coagulation reactivation in recurrence of colorectal cancer

At time of diagnosis, most cancer patients present with laboratory evidence of systemic coagulation activation. After treatment with curative intent, these hemostatic alterations seemingly disappear as seen in colorectal cancer with regard to prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2), thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), and soluble fibrin (SF). The aim of this study was to investigate whether coagulation activation recurs with cancer recurrence and to study whether preoperative coagulation tests have any prognostic value in colorectal cancer. Plasma F1+2, TAT, and SF levels were prospectively recorded from 113 patients followed after curative resection of colorectal cancer. The patients were seen in clinic after 3, 6, 12, and 18 months, and after 2, 3, 4, and 5 years. Coagulation reactivation was observed at the time of recurrence, as demonstrated by significantly increased plasma TAT and SF, along with a non-significant increase (P = 0.09) in F1+2. Preoperative values of F1+2, TAT, and SF did not show association with prognosis.