Endothelial Microparticles and Blood Coagulation Activation in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy or Radiochemotherapy

Abstract

Background/Aim: Endothelial microparticles (EMP) are small vesicles which are released from the endothelium and contribute to blood coagulation activation in various clinical settings. The aim of this study was to examine whether EMP influence blood coagulation activation in cancer patients during radiotherapy/ radiochemotherapy (RT/RCT). Materials and Methods: Sixteen head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing RT/RCT and 10 controls were examined. EMP and thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) were measured by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Tissue factor-positive EMP (TF + EMP) were defined as CD31 + /CD142 + /CD42b -. Results: TF + EMP were significantly elevated in HNC patients before RT/RCT (T 0 ) (1299±1154/μl), one day after RT/RCT (T 1d ) (1257±603/μl) and 3 months after RT/RCT (T 3m ) (1289±372/μl) compared to controls (688±647/μl). TF + EMP levels at T 0 /T 1d and T 0 , as well as at T 1d and T 3m were not significantly different. TAT levels at T 0 and T 1d did not differ significantly but at T 3m were significantly lower compared to T 0 and T 1d . TF + EMP and TAT concentrations were not significantly correlated at T 0 (r=0. 058; p=0.828), T 1d (r=0.373, p=0.154) and T 3m (r=-0.302, p=0.204).

Thrombosis Risk Associated with Head and Neck Cancer: A Review

“…Sierko et al has shown a high level of plasma TF-bearing endothelial MPs in their study conducted in 16 patients with H&N SCC treated by radiotherapy. However, they did not find any abnormalities in the hemostatic system in those patients [132].…”

Impact of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy on Thrombin Generation and Platelet Aggregation in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

“… 36 Sierko et al reported no significant differences in TAT throughout the treatment course in a prospective study of 16 patients with stage IIB-IVa head and neck cancer receiving definitive radiotherapy, post-operative radiotherapy, or chemo-radiotherapy. 37 The findings of Uszýnski et al and Lincz et al suggest that radiotherapy might induce increased in vivo thrombin generation. However, Uszýnski et al report no baseline characteristics of the study population or of the 20% of patients experiencing the transient increase in TAT and conclude that the study is preliminary.…”