OBJECTIVE: The principal objective of this study was to determine the relationship between preoperative
coagulation tests and the extent of
tumor involvement in
gastric cancer patients. METHOD: A total of 110 patients with
adenocarcinoma of the
stomach were studied in order to evaluate this relationship.
Platelet count (P),
prothrombin time (PT),
activated partial thromboplastin time,
D-dimer,
fibrinogen degradation product, thrombin-antithrombin complex and
prothrombin fragment F1+2 (F1+2) were evaluated. RESULTS: The
D-dimer levels were positively
correlated with the depth of invasion (P =0.007). Plasma
D-dimer and PT were highly
correlated with degree of
lymph node involvement (P = 0.006, 0.004, respectively).
D-dimer level, PT and plasma F1+2 level were
correlated with clinical stage (P = 0.001, 0.017, 0.031, respectively). PT and F1+2 levels were significant in the prediction of the presence of
lymph node involvement on the
multivariate logistic regression models (
odds ratio 2502.081 (5.977-1047425.4); P = 0.010 and
odds ratio 19.487 (1.495-253.936); P = 0.023, respectively). CONCLUSION: PT and plasma levels of F1+2 and
D-dimer could be markers of degree or presence of
lymph node involvement and clinical stage in patients with operable
gastric cancer.
