The absence of influence of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on the transient decrease in platelet counts observed after...

Retrospectively we observed an early-onset transient decrease in platelet counts in a group of patients treated with cisplatin, vinblastine and bleomycin. Though less pronounced, the decrease was also found in a prospectively studied group of patients treated with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin, but was absent after treatment with etoposide ad cisplatin. In a randomized cross-over study acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) appeared not to prevent the drop in platelet counts. Bleomycin appears to induce an early-onset transient decrease in platelet numbers, possibly by direct or indirect platelet lysis. Vinblastine may have a synergistic effect to this phenomenon.