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Comprehensive Analysis of Procoagulant Platelets Exhibiting Features of Necrosis, Apoptosis and Platelet Activation
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Platelets and cancer-associated thrombosis
Gregory C Connolly1, Richard P Phipps2, Charles W Francis1
1James P. Wilmot Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, and Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.
Seminars in Oncology
|July 16, 2014
Summary
Platelets play a key role in cancer progression and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Anti-platelet therapies show promise in preventing VTE in cancer patients, highlighting platelets as crucial biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Hematology
- Thrombosis Research
Background:
- Platelets are increasingly recognized for their role in cancer, influencing tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis.
- Cancer patients frequently develop venous thromboembolism (VTE), a major cause of mortality and morbidity.
- While platelets' role in arterial thrombosis is known, emerging evidence implicates them in VTE initiation, especially in cancer-associated thrombosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review platelet-related predictive biomarkers for cancer-associated thrombosis.
- To summarize platelet-mediated mechanisms promoting VTE in cancer patients.
- To discuss the role of anti-platelet agents in VTE prevention for cancer patients.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current research on platelets, cancer, and thrombosis.
- Analysis of studies on thrombocytosis and platelet activation as VTE biomarkers.
- Examination of data on anti-platelet agents in cancer-associated VTE prevention.
Main Results:
- Thrombocytosis and platelet activation are identified as predictive biomarkers for VTE in cancer patients.
- Platelets contribute to VTE through various cancer-associated mechanisms.
- Early data suggest therapeutic anti-platelet agents may offer VTE prevention benefits in cancer patients.
Conclusions:
- Platelets are critical players in both cancer progression and the development of VTE.
- Platelet activation and count serve as important predictive biomarkers for VTE risk in cancer.
- Anti-platelet therapy represents a potential strategy for VTE prevention in this patient population.
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