Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2002 Feb 1;86(3):389-95.
doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6600069.

Plasma fibrin D-dimer levels correlate with tumour volume, progression rate and survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer

Luc Y Dirix  1 , R Salgado, R Weytjens, C Colpaert, I Benoy, P Huget, P van Dam, A Prové, J Lemmens, P Vermeulen
Affiliations
Free PMC article

Plasma fibrin D-dimer levels correlate with tumour volume, progression rate and survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer

Luc Y Dirix et al. Br J Cancer. .
Free PMC article

Abstract

Plasma levels of D-dimer are elevated in cancer patients. Activation of the extrinsic coagulation system and the fibrinolytic cascade within a tumour is thought to be related with growth, invasion and metastasis. We have investigated the relationship between these markers of fibrin metabolism, standard clinicopathological variables and serum levels of angiogenic cytokines in three cohorts: group A (n=30) consisted of 30 healthy female volunteers, group B (n=23) of consecutive patients with operable breast cancer and group C (n=84) of patients with untreated or progressive metastatic breast cancer. Plasma D-dimers, fibrinogen, IL-6, vascular endothelial growth factor and calculated vascular endothelial growth factor load in platelets are clearly increased in patients with breast cancer. D-dimers were increased in nearly 89% of patients with progressive metastatic disease. The level of D-dimers was positively correlated with tumour load (P<0.0001), number of metastatic sites (P=0.002), progression kinetics (P<0.0001) and the cytokines related to angiogenesis: serum vascular endothelial growth factor (P=0.0016, Spearman correlation=0.285), calculated vascular endothelial growth factor load in platelets (P<0.0001, Spearman correlation=0.37) and serum interleukin-6 (P<0.0001, Spearman correlation=0.59). Similarly increased D-dimer levels were positively correlated with increased fibrinogen levels (P<0.0001, Spearman correlation=0.38). The association between markers of fibrin degradation in patients with progressive breast cancer suggests that the D-dimer level is a clinically important marker for progression and points towards a relation between haemostasis and tumour progression. A role of interleukin-6, by influencing both angiogenesis and haemostasis, is suggested by these observations.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Overall survival (days) in 84 patients with metastatic breast cancer according to D-dimer levels.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. BenjaminLEGolijaninDItinAPodeDKeshetE1999Selective ablation of immature blood vessels in established human tumors follows vascular endothelial growth factor withdrawal J Clin Invest 103159165 - PMC - PubMed
    1. BicknellRHarrisAL1991Novel growth regulatory factors and tumour angiogenesis Eur J Cancer 27781785 - PubMed
    1. BlackwellKHaroonZBroadwaterGBerryDHarrisLIglehartDDewhirstMGreenbergC2000Plasma D-Dimer levels in operable breast cancer patients correlate with clinical stage and axillary lymphnode status J Clin Oncol 18600608 - PubMed
    1. BrockTADvorakHFSengerDR1991Tumor-secreted vascular permeability factor increases cytosolic Ca2+ and von Willebrand factor release in human endothelial cells Am J Pathol 138213221 - PMC - PubMed
    1. BrownLFGuidiAJSchnittSJVan De WaterLIruela-ArispeM-LYeoT-KTognazziKDvorakHF1999Vascular stroma formation in carcinoma in situ, invasive carcinoma, and metastatic carcinoma of the breast Clin Cancer Res 510411056 - PubMed

Substances