PATIENTS WITH A MALIGNANT-TUMOR HAVE MORE EXTENDED THROMBOSIS THAN PATIENTS WITHOUT

Changes in the coagulability or rheology of the blood are supposed to cause an increased frequency of thrombosis in patients with a malignan t tumor. These procoagulopathic disorders may not only increase the fr equency of thrombosis but may also enlarge the extent of the thrombosi s. The authors retrospectively analyzed, therefore, the extension of t hrombosis in patients with and without a malignant tumor. From 1991 to 1995 in the University Hospital Essen 489 consecutive cases of thromb osis were diagnosed. The diagnosis was made by color Doppler sonograph y or phlebography; 230 patients (47%) suffered from a malignant tumor (110 men, 120 women). To exclude the influence of the patient's age on the extension of the thrombosis the authors distinguished three diffe rent age groups. In the tumor group aged from 21 to 40 years they foun d 10 large (iliacal, femoral, and crural veins), six medium (femoral a nd crural veins), and four small thromboses (crural veins). In the tum or group aged from 41 to 60 years they found 38 large, 24 medium, and 27 small thromboses. In the group without a tumor aged from 21 to 40 y ears they found seven large, 13 medium, and 28 small thromboses, and i n the group aged from 41 to 60 years, 12 large, 29 medium, and 41 smal l thromboses. The difference between the two groups supports the assum ption that in patients suffering from a malignant tumor, thromboses te nd to be more extended than in patients without a malignant tumor.