Plasma Levels of Prothrombin Fragment F1+2, D-dimer and Prothrombin Time Correlate with Clinical Stage and Lymph Node Metastasis in Operable Gastric Cancer Patients

OBJECTIVE: The principal objective of this study was to determine the relationship between preoperative coagulation tests and the extent of tumor involvement in gastric cancer patients. METHOD: A total of 110 patients with adenocarcinoma of the stomach were studied in order to evaluate this relationship. Platelet count (P), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation product, thrombin-antithrombin complex and prothrombin fragment F1+2 (F1+2) were evaluated. RESULTS: The D-dimer levels were positively correlated with the depth of invasion (P =0.007). Plasma D-dimer and PT were highly correlated with degree of lymph node involvement (P = 0.006, 0.004, respectively). D-dimer level, PT and plasma F1+2 level were correlated with clinical stage (P = 0.001, 0.017, 0.031, respectively). PT and F1+2 levels were significant in the prediction of the presence of lymph node involvement on the multivariate logistic regression models (odds ratio 2502.081 (5.977-1047425.4); P = 0.010 and odds ratio 19.487 (1.495-253.936); P = 0.023, respectively). CONCLUSION: PT and plasma levels of F1+2 and D-dimer could be markers of degree or presence of lymph node involvement and clinical stage in patients with operable gastric cancer.