[Observation on platelet aggregative ability in patients with malignant tumors of head and neck by electron microscope].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between the platelet aggregative ability and malignant tumors of head and neck.

METHOD

Platelet aggregative ability was detected by electron microscopy (EM) in 37 patients with malignant tumors of head and neck(Group C), 10 patients with non-neoplastic diseases(Group A) and 10 patients with benign tumors of head and neck(Group B) as the control group, with the ratio of aggregative type platelets as the index. Twenty-five of 37 patients with malignant tumors except 8 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were included in the follow-up study 4-6 months after operations.

RESULTS

1. The mean ratio of aggregative type platelets in patients from Group C was significantly higher that that of Group A or Group B patients (P < 0.05); 2. In Group C, the mean ratio of aggregative type platelets increased significantly with the development of clinical staging(P < 0.05); 3. In follow-up study, the mean ratio of aggregative type platelets of 17 patients without metastasis and recurrence was significantly lower than that before-operation, while the results of 8 patients with metastasis or recurrence was totally opposite.

CONCLUSIONS

1. The aggregative ability of platelets increased in patients with malignant tumors of head and neck; 2. The ratio of aggregative type platelets detected by EM has an important potential value in judging the development, therapeutic effects and prognosis of the malignant tumors of head and neck.