Haemostatic alterations in lymphomas and tumours

Disturbances of blood coagulation often occur in various malignancies. Deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism often precedes the manifestation of a solid tumour. Chemotherapy, irradiation, surgery, infections are the triggering factors of a blood clotting abnormality. In the present paper the plasmatic clotting factors and platelet functions were studied in patient with solid tumour and with lymphoma. The most characteristic findings were: ethanol positivity, increased fibrinogen level, decreased euglobulin lysis, impairment of platelet functions. In solid tumours the signs of hypercoagulability were more expressed, in non-Hodgkin lymphomas the platelet functions were decreased. These data were in good correlation with data in the literature: in tumours and lymphomas an activation of blood clotting and platelets can be observed.