Thrombocytosis in solid tumors: review of the literature.

The relation of thrombocytosis with malignant disorders is known for a century[1]. Frequency of thrombocytosis and thrombocyte count varies in different malignant diseases. It is especially seen in lung, colon, gynecological, and renal cell cancer. The specific mechanism by which thrombocytosis develops in malignancies remain speculative and several hypothesis have been proposed on this subject. In recent years humoral mediators are suggested to play role in the pathogenesis of thrombocytosis occur with the response of host against the malignant tissue. Excess amount of cytokines were found to be associated with thrombocytosis in cancers. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) are some of the cytokines studied in malignancy associated thrombocytosis. Thrombocytosis might be a sign of poor prognosis and cause morbi-motality in cancers. It can be in relation with different processes occur during the course of malignant tumors as cell invasion and metastasis.