Molecular Markers of Blood Coagulation and Fibrinolysis in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Takahito Nakagawa, Yoshie Une, Tsuyoshi Shimamura, Toshiya Kamiyama, Tsunetake Hata, Michiaki Matsushita, Naoki Sato, Yasuaki Nakajima, Junichi Uchino

First Department of Surgery, Hokkaido University School of Medicine

Molecular markers of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis were studied in seventy-five patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent hepatectomy in the past 3 years. The serum concentration of thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), plasmin-α₂-plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC), and D-dimer were analyzed. We investigated the relation between those markers and the clinicopathological findings. The average levels (± S.E.) of TAT, PIC, and D-dimer were 4.49 ± 0.58 µg/l, 1.36 ± 0.07 µg/ml, and 1.325 ± 0.270 µg/ml, respectively, all slightly above the normal ranges. The serum levels of the molecular markers closely correlated with the tumor stage and intrahepatic metastases. However, there was no correlation with the pathological degree of chronic changes of the liver parenchyma, differentiation of HCC cells, capsular formation, or portal vein involvement. Progression of the intrahepatic metastases of HCC are suggested to be related to the acceleration of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Key words
hepatocellular carcinoma, thrombin-antithrombin III, D-dimer, plasmin-α₂-plasmin inhibitor complex, intrahepatic metastasis

Reprint requests
Takahito Nakagwa First Department of Surgery, Hokkaido University School of Medicine
N15 W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060 JAPAN

Accepted
October 12, 1994

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