[About tumor cell findings in the peripheral venous blood, blood-borne metastases and the incidence of thromboembolic episodes in patients with carcinoma of various localisations (author's transl)].

In a retrospective study the frequency distribution of positive screenings for free-floating cancer cells in the peripheral venous blood of patients with cancers of the larynx, the abdomen and the lung was related to the frequency of blood-borne metastases and the incidence of thromboembolic episodes within 5 years of observation. Carcinomas of the larynx which were characterized by a very low frequency of blood-borne metastases are related with a high level of free-floating cancer cells in the venous blood. In contrast abdominal and lung cancers have a high frequency of blood-borne metastases, but a lower level of circulating cancer cells in the peripheral venous blood. Also there is a significant correlation between the initial presence of circulating cancer cells and the incidence of thromboembolic episodes in patients with abdominal and lung cancers, in contrast to patient with cancers of the larynx who lack this coincidence. On the basis of our observation we assume that the circulating tumor cells of the patients with abdominal and lung cancers have a high stickiness, therefore displaying a strong tendency to attach to the vascular endothelium. Only lodged cancer cells are able to penetrate the vessel wall and to develop metastases in the interstitial tissue. Remote and more or less generalized effects of cancer on blood coagulation are observed. In certain instances a disseminated intravascular coagulation results, almost exclusively due to remote effects of clotting factors elaborated by cancer cells, sometimes leading to micro- or macrothrombosis.