Predisposing Factors To Thromboembolism In Patients With Cancer Of The Prostate

In a population of 64 patients with cancer of the prostate, 5 of them showed thromboembolic episodes after treatment with Diethyl Stilbestrol (DES) however no thromboembolic complication in patients treated with 17 bèta oestradiol (17βE2) was observed. Predisposing factors to thromboembolism were examined in untreated patients and in the same patients separated in two randomized groups after three months of treatment with either DES or 17βE2.Before treatment no significant modifications of coagulation factors platelet count, platelet functions, anti Till, plasminogen and fibrinogen levels were observed when compared to a control population of the same age. It was also established that lipids, triglycerides (TG) and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) were normal before treatment.After treatment, thromboembolic episodes were only observed in the group receiving DES. Although no modifications of platelets and coagulation factors were observed, a significant increase in TG and VLDL was found. In contrast in the 29 patients treated with 17βE2 no thromboembolic complication of either the coagulation profile or TG and VLDL levels was found.It is concluded therefore that the elevation of TG and VLDL was the only difference observed between patients treated with either DES or 17βE2. It is however unclear from our study how these parameters influence the coagulation process.It is proposed that other dynamic coagulation investigations have to be performed in order to assume the role of TG and VLDL predisposing factors to thromboembolism.