Prothrombin fragment F 1 + 2 plasma concentrations in patients with gynecologic malignancies

Malignant diseases have been shown to cause hypercoagulable states. Elevated prothrombin fragment F 1 + 2 plasma levels occur, when prothrombin is converted into thrombin by factor Xa. In order to evaluate the role of prothrombin fragment F 1 + 2 as an indicator for hemostatic disorders in patients with gynecologic malignancies, plasma levels of 76 patients with various malignancies of the female genital tract and those of 25 healthy subjects were investigated. Fifty-two of 76 (68.4%) patients with malignant diseases showed elevated F 1 + 2 plasma concentrations, whereas no elevated plasma levels were observed in the control group. Mean values of F 1 + 2 in the study group and the controls were 1.94 +/- 1.63 and 0.89 +/- 0.07 nmol/liter, respectively (P < 0.01). These results provide further evidence that gynecologic malignancies can induce hypercoagulable states.