Haematologica Reports 2005; 1(issue 9): 34-35
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Vitamin k, warfarin and prothrombin: an alternate
pathway to improve cancer survival
Liebman HA
Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los
Angeles, USA
Billroth first proposed a theoretical relationship between
hemostatic mechanisms and the development of cancer metastasis in
1878. A lack of experimental animal models to study cancer
metastasis inhibited further studies on hemostasis and cancer until
the late 1960s and early 1970s.1 Since that time,
studies using mouse and rat models, have demonstrated a reduction
of tumor metastasis and improved animal survival with systemic
anticoagulation. However, the therapeutic benefits observed in
these models cannot be attributed to a single, specific
intervention in the coagulation system since a variety of
anticoagulants, anti-platelet and fibrinolytic agents appeared to
be effective.1 [>Read full article
in PDF]
