Initial tumor cell arrest in animals of defined coagulative status

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Hematology
• Cancer Metastasis Research

Background:

• Cancer patients often develop coagulopathies, similar to disseminated intravascular coagulation.
• Tumor cells spread through the bloodstream (hematogenous metastasis), and thrombogenesis is hypothesized to play a role in their initial arrest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of thrombogenic factors in the early hematogenous arrest of circulating tumor cells.
• To determine if anticoagulation therapy affects tumor cell localization in mice with tumor-induced coagulopathies.

Main Methods:

• Mice with primary tumors were administered anticoagulants (warfarin, aspirin, heparin).
• The early arrest patterns of radiolabeled TA3 carcinoma and Gardner lymphosarcoma cells were examined after intravenous injection.
• Hematologic parameters (thrombocytopenia, elevated fibrinogen) were measured to confirm coagulopathy.

Main Results:

• Mice exhibited coagulopathies similar to human disseminated intravascular coagulation.
• Effective anticoagulation was achieved in the tumor-bearing mice.
• Administration of warfarin, aspirin, or heparin had no effect on the localization patterns of either tumor cell type.

Conclusions:

• The proposed involvement of thrombogenesis in metastasis is unlikely to be mediated by clotting factors targeted by aspirin, warfarin, and heparin.
• These anticoagulants do not appear to influence the early intravascular arrest of circulating tumor cells.