Blood fibrinolytic activity in cancer patients

Abstract

Fibrinolytic activity was tested in 36 patients with malignancy, 10 patients with non malignant surgical conditions and 20 normal controls. Euglobulin lysis time was significantly shortened in cancer as well as in other surgical conditions. Thrombin time was prolonged in one third of the cancer but in none of the noncancer patients. Plasma fibrinogen was significantly elevated in both of these groups. It is suggested that increased fibrinolytic activity is a homeostatic response to the non specific 'hypercoagulable state' seen in malignant as well as in other surgical illnesses.