Thrombocytosis in Malignancy: A Paraneoplastic Syndrome?

Paraneoplastic thrombocytosis in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND Elevated platelet count at the time of diagnosis has been suggested to identify a subset of patients with cancer (e.g. ovarian and lung adenocarcinoma) and poor prognosis. The evidence on the incidence and prognostic significance of thrombocytosis in breast cancer is, however, incomplete. PATIENTS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of 127 consecutive patients with br...

Paraneoplastic thrombocytosis in ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND The mechanisms of paraneoplastic thrombocytosis in ovarian cancer and the role that platelets play in abetting cancer growth are unclear. METHODS We analyzed clinical data on 619 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer to test associations between platelet counts and disease outcome. Human samples and mouse models of epithelial ovarian cancer were used to explore the underlying mec...

Role of interleukin-6 in paraneoplastic thrombocytosis.

Blood Spotlight Paraneoplastic thrombocytosis: the secrets of tumor self-promotion

Normally quiescent platelets in the circulation respond to localized breaches in vascular integrity by providing hemostasis with swiftness and precision. They do so by mobilizing their remarkable repertoire of capabilities to respond to injury: adhesion, activation, secretion, aggregation, recruitment, and wound healing. However, only in recent years have we begun to appreciate the functional v...

Paraneoplastic thrombocytosis: the secrets of tumor self-promotion.

Paraneoplastic thrombocytosis is associated with many solid tumors and often correlates with reduced survival. Recent studies suggest that a pathogenic feed back loop may be operative between platelets and tumor cells, with reciprocal interactions between tumor growth/metastasis and thrombocytosis/platelet activation. Specific molecular pathways have been identified in which tumors can stimulat...