Fibrinolysis-coagulation system in patients with cancer of the head and neck. Preliminary report.

Five parameters of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, viz., levels of fibrinogen, fibrinolytic activity of euglobulin, fibrinogen and/or fibrin-degradation products (FDP), antiplasmin activity, and antithrombin activity, were measured in patients with cancer of the head and neck, and the results were compared with those of healthy adults. The fibrinogen content in cancer was significantly increased (p less than 0.001), the fibrinolytic activity of euglobulin significantly enhanced (p less than 0.001), the antiplasmin activity significantly reduced (p less than 0.05), the antithrombin activity significantly reduced (p less than 0.001), and the FDP level slightly increased, although the difference was not significant. The importance of the coagulation and fibrinolytic system in cancer of the head and neck is discussed.