[Hemostasis and tumor invasion. Therapeutic implications]

Plasminogen activator activity (PAA) has been detected in various tumor cells or in their excretion products. In some cell systems PAA is a symptom of cell transformation, but its amount is questionably correlated with the invasiveness of the tumor cells. Procoagulant and aggregation activities on platelets, have been demonstrated in various tumor cells. There are weakly correlated with the metastatic potential of these cells. In vivo, the treatment of animals by modifiers of the hemostasis, or of the fibrinolysis systems provides contradictory results. Some reduction of metastatic diffusion and increase of life span have been noted with Warfarin. Clinical trials are scarce and their methodology is debatable. When conclusive, a lengthening of the life span has been observed, but not a reduction of the metastatic spread as metastases were still present.