Combined use of haemostatic system indices for evaluation of upper respiratory tract cancer progression.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze whether comprehensive assessment of haemostatic system components, in particular, indices of coagulation and fibrinolytic systems along with functionally related proteins, could be indicative of upper respiratory tract (URT) cancer progression.

METHODS

Indices of coagulation and fibrinolytic systems along with functionally related proteins, in particular, trypsin-like amidolytic activity, trypsin-like proteolytic activity, thrombin-like amidolytic activity, elastase-like amidolytic activity, fibrinolytic activity, potential amidolytic plasmin activity, content of fibrinogen, antithrombin III, α1-proteinase inhibitor, and α2-macroglobulin, and prothrombin time were evaluated in blood plasma of patients with URT cancer of II (n = 10) and III (n = 25) stages with the use of routine biochemical methods.

RESULTS

For both groups of patients with URT cancer there have been shown notable differences for the majority of the studied indices, especially the indexes of proteolytic activities, from these of healthy donors, and in the case of URT cancer of III stage they reached statistical significance. In contrary, the changes in the content of antithrombin III, α1-proteinase inhibitor, and α2-macroglobulin were insignificant. In both groups of patients significant increase of fibrinogen content has been registered, while the content of soluble fibrinogen didn't change. Also, in both groups of patients there a significant increase of potential activity of plasminogen was documented, while clot lysis time was significantly increased only in patients with III stage URT cancer. Multifactorial analysis of haemostatic system indices evidenced for efficacy of their combined use for evaluation of URT cancer progression risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Combined use of fibrinogen and α2-macroglobulin content and the level of amidolytic thrombin-like activity could serve as an indicator of URT cancer progression.