Coagulation tests show significant differences in patients with breast cancer

Activated coagulation and fibrinolytic system in cancer patients is associated with tumor stroma formation and metastasis in different cancer types. The aim of this study is to explore the correlation of blood coagulation assays for various clinicopathologic factors in breast cancer patients. A total of 123 female breast cancer patients were enrolled into the study. All the patients were treatment naïve. Pretreatment blood coagulation tests including PT, APTT, PTA, INR, D-dimer, fibrinogen levels, and platelet counts were evaluated. Median age of diagnosis was 51 years old (range 26–82). Twenty-two percent of the group consisted of metastatic breast cancer patients. The plasma level of all coagulation tests revealed statistically significant difference between patient and control group except for PT (p < 0.001 for all variables except for PT; p = 0.08). Elderly age (>50 years) was associated with higher D-dimer levels (p = 0.003). Metastatic patients exhibited significantly higher D-dimer values when compared with early breast cancer patients (p = 0.049). Advanced tumor stage (T3 and T4) was associated with higher INR (p = 0.05) and lower PTA (p = 0.025). In conclusion, coagulation tests show significant differences in patients with breast cancer.