[Activation of blood coagulation in oncology patients]

Thromboembolic complications are a very important part of neoplastic diseases. In these complications specific processes participate which are the result of the action of substances produced by the tumour or they are formed as a consequences of the reaction to the neoplastic disease, its complications or treatment. A special role in this respect is played by the tissue factor and cancer procoagulant which are very important procoagulant proteins. Post-mortem evaluation reveals thromboembolic manifestations in as many as 50% of all oncological patients. Considerable attention is paid to the prevention of thromboembolic episodes or their progression and patterns for their prevention and treatment were elaborated. One of these provisions is the use of anti-thrombotic drugs, their introduction being motivated by an attempt to check coagulation and eliminate its tendency towards hypercoagulation. In this respect the importance of heparin is beyond doubt, i.e. of non-fractionated as well as low-molecular heparin.