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Coagulopathy

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Definition

The changes in pathways of clot formation and lysis, and their interactions with cells and tissues that precede or accompany cancer.

Characteristics

Blood coagulation dyscrasias have been linked to cancer for centuries. Tumor regression with leeching and bleeding and thrombosis complicating malignancy were among the early cues to an elegant but ruinous cybernetics. In 1867, Trousseau described “painful edema” (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) with both established and as yet undiscovered malignancies. The common occurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) with cancer signals poor survival and is a common cause of death in cancer patients. Compression of veins and organ damage by tumor masses, superimposed infection, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, growth factor/cytokine administration, and antiangiogenic therapy predispose to cancer-related thrombosis. Cancer-related thrombotic syndromes besides VTE include nonbacterial thrombotic (marantic; pertaining...

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References

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Correspondence to Leo R. Zacharski .

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© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Zacharski, L.R., Rauwerdink, C.A. (2015). Coagulopathy. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_1244-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_1244-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

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