Antithrombin III profiles in malignancy, relationship primary tumors and metastatic sites.

Variations of antithrombin III were studied in a non-randomized population of consecutive cancer cases admitted to a referral hospital. Differences between functional and immunologic assay were observed. Decreases were observed in both assays when compared to a population of hospitalized controls. Patients with cancer of the colon, ovary and prostate showed a deficiency of antithrombin III more frequently than other common tumors. When all tumor cases were subdivided into those in remission compared to those with metastases, a significant decrease in antithrombin III also could be shown. Metastases to the liver were strikingly common in cancer patients with decreased antithrombin III. In these patients, the decrease in antithrombin III could be statistically correlated with reduction in serum albumin.