Thrombin generation assessment : an in vitro characterization of hypercoagulability induced by cancer

Abstract

Thromboembolic events are a major complication in cancer patients. Overexpression of tissue factor is favourable to the development of thrombosis. Thrombin generation test is sensitive to detect hypercoaguable changes in the plasma. The present study has been designed to investigate the capacity of thrombin generation assay to detect the hypercoagulability indu-ced by ovarian cancer cells. We aimed to characterize, in an vitro model, the procoagulant phenotype of human epithelial ovarian adenocarcinoma cells, IGROV1. Thrombin generation was assessed using Calibrated Automated Thrombogram. IGROV1 cells suspended into platelet poor plasma results in a significant acceleration of thrombin generation and an increase of the Peak and the ETP. The impact of cancer cells on blood coagulation process in human plasma relies upon the number of cells being in contact with human plasma. This experimental system, using thrombin generation assessment, allows to characterize the “procoagulant fingerprint” of ovarian cancers cells. The sensitivity of thrombin generation assay to detect the procoagulant activity of cancer cells allows to use this assay in pharmacological studies assessing the efficacy of antithrombotic drugs on cancer induced hypercoagulability.

Download