© 1999 by Oxford University Press
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 91, No. 1, 22-36,
January 6, 1999
© 1999 Oxford University Press
REVIEW |
Inhibition of Metastases by Anticoagulants
Affiliations of authors: M. Hejna, M. Raderer, Department of Medicine I, Division of Oncology, University Hospital, Vienna, Austria; C. C. Zielinski, Department of Medicine I, Division of Oncology, University Hospital, Vienna, Chair of Medical-Experimental Oncology, Department of Medicine I, University Hospital, and Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Clinical Experimental Oncology, Vienna.
Correspondence to: Christoph C. Zielinski, M.D., Department of Medicine I, Division of Oncology, University Hospital, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria (e-mail: christoph.zielinski{at}akh-wien.ac.at).
Metastasis involves several distinct steps, including one in which the tumor cell, after entry into the bloodstream, comes to rest in a capillary located at the distant site where a metastatic tumor will ultimately form. Components of the blood-clotting pathway may contribute to metastasis by trapping cells in capillaries or by facilitating adherence of cells to capillary walls. Conceivably, anticoagulants could interfere with this step in the metastatic process. In this review, we have summarized current knowledge on the interaction of malignant cells, clotting factors, and anticoagulants. We used computerized (MEDLINE®) and manual searches to identify studies done in humans, in animals, and in in vitro systems that were published in English between 1952 and 1998. We found many reports that the formation of metastatic tumors could be inhibited by heparin, a vitamin K antagonist (warfarin), and inhibitors of platelet aggregation (prostacyclin and dipyridamole). Despite these encouraging preliminary results and a compelling biochemical rationale, only limited information exists on the clinical use of anticoagulants for the prevention or treatment of metastatic cancer because there have been so few controlled and prospectively randomized studies on this topic. In view of the preliminary results, anticoagulants may hold promise for the prevention and treatment of metastases. We believe that larger controlled investigations are strongly warranted to evaluate the clinical potential of anticoagulants for the prevention and treatment of metastases in humans.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
A. Cumashi, N. A. Ushakova, M. E. Preobrazhenskaya, A. D'Incecco, A. Piccoli, L. Totani, N. Tinari, G. E. Morozevich, A. E. Berman, M. I. Bilan, et al. A comparative study of the anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antiangiogenic, and antiadhesive activities of nine different fucoidans from brown seaweeds Glycobiology, May 1, 2007; 17(5): 541 - 552. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Chiodoni, M. Iezzi, C. Guiducci, S. Sangaletti, I. Alessandrini, C. Ratti, F. Tiboni, P. Musiani, D. N. Granger, and M. P. Colombo Triggering CD40 on endothelial cells contributes to tumor growth J. Exp. Med., October 30, 2006; 203(11): 2441 - 2450. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. R. Yance Jr and S. M. Sagar Targeting angiogenesis with integrative cancer therapies. Integr Cancer Ther, March 1, 2006; 5(1): 9 - 29. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Testa, G. G.L. Biondi-Zoccai, A. D. Russo, F. Bellocci, F. Andreotti, and F. Crea Rate-control vs. rhythm-control in patients with atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis Eur. Heart J., October 1, 2005; 26(19): 2000 - 2006. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. L. Stevenson, S. H. Choi, and A. Varki Differential Metastasis Inhibition by Clinically Relevant Levels of Heparins--Correlation with Selectin Inhibition, Not Antithrombotic Activity Clin. Cancer Res., October 1, 2005; 11(19): 7003 - 7011. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Y.Y. Lee, F. R. Rickles, J. A. Julian, M. Gent, R. I. Baker, C. Bowden, A. K. Kakkar, M. Prins, and M. N. Levine Randomized Comparison of Low Molecular Weight Heparin and Coumarin Derivatives on the Survival of Patients With Cancer and Venous Thromboembolism J. Clin. Oncol., April 1, 2005; 23(10): 2123 - 2129. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Zollo, A. Andre, A. Cossu, M. C. Sini, A. D'Angelo, N. Marino, M. Budroni, F. Tanda, G. Arrigoni, and G. Palmieri Overexpression of h-prune in Breast Cancer is Correlated with Advanced Disease Status Clin. Cancer Res., January 1, 2005; 11(1): 199 - 205. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. H. Im, W. Fu, H. Wang, S. K. Bhatia, D. A. Hammer, M. A. Kowalska, and R. J. Muschel Coagulation Facilitates Tumor Cell Spreading in the Pulmonary Vasculature during Early Metastatic Colony Formation Cancer Res., December 1, 2004; 64(23): 8613 - 8619. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Alifano, G. Benedetti, and R. Trisolini Can Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin Improve the Outcome of Patients With Operable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?: An Urgent Call for Research Chest, August 1, 2004; 126(2): 601 - 607. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
X. Shi, B. Gangadharan, L. F. Brass, W. Ruf, and B. M. Mueller Protease-Activated Receptors (PAR1 and PAR2) Contribute to Tumor Cell Motility and Metastasis Mol. Cancer Res., July 1, 2004; 2(7): 395 - 402. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. S. Steinberg, A. Sadaniantz, J. Kron, A. Krahn, D. M. Denny, J. Daubert, W. B. Campbell, E. Havranek, K. Murray, B. Olshansky, et al. Analysis of Cause-Specific Mortality in the Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) Study Circulation, April 27, 2004; 109(16): 1973 - 1980. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Borgenstrom, M. Jalkanen, and M. Salmivirta Sulfated Derivatives of Escherichia coli K5 Polysaccharides as Modulators of Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling J. Biol. Chem., December 12, 2003; 278(50): 49882 - 49889. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. A. Hembrough, G. M. Swartz, A. Papathanassiu, G. P. Vlasuk, W. E. Rote, S. J. Green, and V. S. Pribluda Tissue Factor/Factor VIIa Inhibitors Block Angiogenesis and Tumor Growth Through a Nonhemostatic Mechanism Cancer Res., June 1, 2003; 63(11): 2997 - 3000. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. E. Tsopanoglou, P. Andriopoulou, and M. E. Maragoudakis On the mechanism of thrombin-induced angiogenesis: involvement of alpha vbeta 3-integrin Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, November 1, 2002; 283(5): C1501 - C1510. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Y. Pumphrey, A. M. Theus, S. Li, R. S. Parrish, and R. D. Sanderson Neoglycans, Carbodiimide-modified Glycosaminoglycans: A New Class of Anticancer Agents That Inhibit Cancer Cell Proliferation and Induce Apoptosis Cancer Res., July 1, 2002; 62(13): 3722 - 3728. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Trikha, Z. Zhou, J. Timar, E. Raso, M. Kennel, E. Emmell, and M. T. Nakada Multiple Roles for Platelet GPIIb/IIIa and {alpha}v{beta}3 Integrins in Tumor Growth, Angiogenesis, and Metastasis Cancer Res., May 1, 2002; 62(10): 2824 - 2833. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Borsig, R. Wong, R. O. Hynes, N. M. Varki, and A. Varki Synergistic effects of L- and P-selectin in facilitating tumor metastasis can involve non-mucin ligands and implicate leukocytes as enhancers of metastasis PNAS, February 19, 2002; 99(4): 2193 - 2198. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. K. Samoszuk, M.-Y. Su, A. Najafi, and O. Nalcioglu Selective Thrombosis of Tumor Blood Vessels in Mammary Adenocarcinoma Implants in Rats Am. J. Pathol., July 1, 2001; 159(1): 245 - 251. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Borsig, R. Wong, J. Feramisco, D. R. Nadeau, N. M. Varki, and A. Varki Heparin and cancer revisited: Mechanistic connections involving platelets, P-selectin, carcinoma mucins, and tumor metastasis PNAS, March 13, 2001; 98(6): 3352 - 3357. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. M. W. Verheul, A. S. Jorna, K. Hoekman, H. J. Broxterman, M. F. B. G. Gebbink, and H. M. Pinedo Vascular endothelial growth factor-stimulated endothelial cells promote adhesion and activation of platelets Blood, December 15, 2000; 96(13): 4216 - 4221. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Collen, S. M. Smorenburg, E. Peters, F. Lupu, P. Koolwijk, C. Van Noorden, and V. W. M. van Hinsbergh Unfractionated and Low Molecular Weight Heparin Affect Fibrin Structure and Angiogenesis in Vitro Cancer Res., November 1, 2000; 60(21): 6196 - 6200. [Abstract] [Full Text] |
||||
![]() |
Y.-Q. Ma and J.-G. Geng Heparan Sulfate-Like Proteoglycans Mediate Adhesion of Human Malignant Melanoma A375 Cells to P-Selectin Under Flow J. Immunol., July 1, 2000; 165(1): 558 - 565. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. C. Zielinski and M. Hejna Warfarin for Cancer Prevention N. Engl. J. Med., June 29, 2000; 342(26): 1991 - 1993. [Full Text] |
||||
![]() |
, , , , , J. , P. , and Preferential Enhancement of Tumor Radioresponse by a Cyclooxygenase-2 Cancer Res., March 1, 2000; 60(5): 1326 - 1331. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Letai and D. J. Kuter Cancer, Coagulation, and Anticoagulation Oncologist, December 1, 1999; 4(6): 443 - 449. [Abstract] [Full Text] |
||||
![]() |
L. Milas, K. Kishi, N. Hunter, K. Mason, J. L. Masferrer, and P. J. Tofilon Enhancement of Tumor Response to {gamma}-Radiation by an Inhibitor of Cyclooxygenase-2 Enzyme J Natl Cancer Inst, September 1, 1999; 91(17): 1501 - 1504. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||


















