TRANSIENT INCREASE IN THROMBIN GENERATION DURING RADIOTHERAPY OF UTERINE CARCINOMA - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY USING THROMBIN-ANTITHROMBIN-III COMPLEX MEASUREMENTS

The question of the study was whether irradiation therapy applied to w omen with cervical or endometrial carcinoma leads to increased thrombi n generation. The study group consisted of 42 women with cervical carc inoma (22 cases) and endometrial carcinoma (20 cases). Irradiation (br achytherapy or/ and teletherapy) was applied as follows: 200 cGy/day, 5 days a week, therapeutic dose of 4,500-5,000 cGy. Complexes of throm bin-antithrombin III in blood plasma were measured (ELISA method) befo re radiotherapy and 4-5 times during therapy. A transient increase in thrombin generation was noticed in 16 of 42 patients: the median value of all 'peaks' was 19.25 (range 3.20-30.00 mu g/l) in cases of cervic al carcinoma, and 14.50 (range 5.25-27.75 mu g/l) in cases of endometr ial carcinoma. It was concluded that therapeutic doses of ionic energy cause only a transient increase in thrombin generation.