Factor VIIIR:Ag plasma levels in patients with cervical and ovarian carcinoma

The Authors measured Factor VIII Related Antigen (FVIIIR:Ag), Factor VIII Coagulant Activity (FVIII:C) and fibrinogen plasma levels in 21 patients with cervical carcinoma and in 14 ones with ovarian carcinoma. In the women with cervical cancer, FVIIIR:Ag was significantly higher than controls only in advanced stages. No significant variation of fibrinogen according to stage and no correlation between FVIIIR:Ag and fibrinogen plasma levels were observed. In the patients with ovarian cancer FVIIIR:Ag was significantly increased in stage III-IV and not significantly in stage I. In these subjects too there was a lack of correlation between FVIIIR:Ag and fibrinogen plasma levels. These results seem to indicate that FVIIIR:Ag increase in advanced stages is due to its major release in circulation resulting from invasion of vascular endothelium and not to an aspecific reactivity. These data could suggest a role of FVIIIR:Ag as an aspecific marker of vascular involvement by cervical and ovarian neoplasms.