[Disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome (D.I.C.) and carcinoma of the prostate (author's transl)]

Carcinoma of the prostate, above all when accompanied by bone metastases, may be associated with a disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome. The problem was to determine whether even in the absence of metastases the coagulation state of prostatic carcinoma patients predisposes them to disseminated intravascular coagulation. The authors compared coagulation equilibrium in 13 patients with a prostatic adenoma and 21 with carcinoma of the prostate free of metastases or infection. Fibrin breakdown product levels were abnormally high in 85.7 % of the carcinoma patients (as against 46.2 % of the adenoma sufferers). Clotting factor XIII was decreased in 70 % of carcinoma patients (as against 48.5 % of those with an adenoma). One prostatic carcinoma patient in four shows evidence of latent intravascular coagulation even in the absence of bone metastases. This prevalence justifies thorough coagulation studies in all patients with carcinoma of the prostate.