COAGULATION AND FIBRINOLYSIS ACTIVATION MARKERS IN PROSTATIC-CARCINOMA PATIENTS

In 49 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, 24 metastatic prosta tic carcinoma patients all under palliative hormonal treatment, 17 unt reated prostatic carcinoma patients without metastases and 14 untreate d prostatic carcinoma patients with metastases, plasma levels of throm bin-antithrombin III complex, D-dimer and plasmin-alpha(2)-antiplasmin were determined. The coagulation activation marker thrombin-antithrom bin III complex did not show any significant difference between the di fferent patient groups. Of the fibrinolysis markers, D-dimer levels we re elevated in both metastatic groups compared to the non-metastatic g roup and the benign prostatic hyperplasia group. Surprisingly, the lev els of the other fibrinolysis marker, plasmin-alpha(2)-antiplasmin, sh owed no significant difference. The nature of these findings is discus sed and related to other relevant literature. The general conclusion i s that fibrinolysis may not play such a prominent role in prostatic ca rcinoma as described and expected.