Reactions 389 - 22 Feb 1992

Antineoplastics

Disseminated intravascular coagulation: case reportHypercoagulability can complicate malignant disease and

there have been reports that antineoplastic therapy can inducehypercoagulation in patients with breast cancer. This reportpresents a patient with lung cancer who developeddisseminated intravascular coagulation after antineoplastictherapy.

Lung cancer in a 73-year-old man was treated with cisplatin100 mg/m2, vindesine 3 mg/m2, and oral tegafur 600 mg/dayA sudden decrease in peripheral platelet count occurred 2 daysafter the first course of antineoplastic therapy, followed by areduction in the plasma fibrinogen level and an increase infibrin degradation products; these normalised within a week.

After the second course of antineoplastic therapy 2 monthslater, the patient developed severe thrombocytopenia andpurpura on his arms and chest wall. The peripheral plateletcount returned to normal after continuous IV infusion ofheparin 8000 U/day. Plasma, collected 1-3 days afterantineoplastic therapy, contained thrombosis-inducing activity(TIA).

The origin of TIA is not yet known but this case illustratesthat it is induced in the circulation by antineoplastic agents.’TIA may be responsible at least in part for alteration of bloodcoagulation activity seen after chemotherapy.’Hayashi S, et al. Hypercoagulopathy induced by chemotherapy in a patient withlung cancer. A possible role for a factor with thrombosis-inducing activity. Chest101: 277-278, Jan 1992 - Japan 800118510

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Reactions 22 Feb 1992 No. 3890114-9954/10/0389-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved