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

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 (TFEMP) were defined as CD31/CD142/CD42b Results: TFEMP were significantly elevated in HNC patients before RT/RCT (T) (1299±1154/μl), one day after RT/RCT (T) (1257±603/μl) and 3 months after RT/RCT (T) (1289±372/μl) compared to controls (688±647/μl). TFEMP levels at T/T and T, as well as at T and T were not significantly different. TAT levels at T and T did not differ significantly but at T were significantly lower compared to T and T TFEMP and TAT concentrations were not significantly correlated at T (r=0.058; p=0.828), T (r=0.373, p=0.154) and T (r=-0.302, p=0.204).

CONCLUSION

TFEMP may not contribute to hemostatic abnormalities in HNC patients.