Summary
Blood coagulation is activated commonly in pancreatic carcinoma but the role of the
tumor cell in this activation is undefined. Immunohistochemical procedures were applied
to fixed sections of 22 cases of resected adenocarcinoma of the pancreas to determine
the presence of components of coagulation and fibrinolysis pathways in situ. Tumor cell bodies stained for tissue factor; prothrombin; and factors VII, VIIIc,
IX, X, XII, and subunit “a” of factor XIII. Fibrinogen existed throughout the tumor
stroma, and tumor cells were surrounded by fibrin. Staining for tissue factor pathway
inhibitor, and plasminogen activators was minimal and inconsistent. Plasminogen activator
inhibitors -1, -2, and -3 were present in the tumor stroma, and on tumor cells and
vascular endothelium. Extravascular coagulation activation exists associated with
pancreatic carcinoma cells in situ that is apparently unopposed by naturally occurring inhibitors or the plasminogen
activator-plasmin system. We postulate that such local coagulation activation may
regulate growth of this malignancy. These findings provide a rationale for testing
agents that modulate the blood coagulation/fibrinolytic system (that inhibit tumor
growth in other settings) in pancreatic carcinoma.
Keywords
Pancreatic cancer - blood coagulation - fibrin