DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION AS SOCIATED WITH PROSTATE ADENOCARCINOMA

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) associated with prostate adenocarcinoma is a bad prognostic sign. Most of the cases are limited to biological abnormalities. Some, however, come to medical attention due to thromboembolic or hemorragic complications. We report 4 such c ases and review the pertinent literature. The characteristic features, are are low platelets and coagulation factors in an elderly man. In t wo out of the four cases, bleeding due to the DIC revealed the cancer. All patients received hormonotherapy and heparin. The worst fate (cas e 3) was a subacute one with no effect of the drugs and death in a sho rt time. The other cases went into a five- to seven months remission b efore uncontrollable bleeding led to death. No favorable effect of the chemotherapy was observed. Thus, new treatments are sought for this r are but ominous complication of prostate cancer.