Anticoagulation Inhibits Tumor Cell-Mediated Release Of Platelet Angiogenic Proteins and Disrupts The Platelet Angiogenic Potential

Platelets are a reservoir for angiogenic proteins that are secreted in a differentially regulated process. While the involvement of platelets in hematogenous tumor metastasis has long been recognized, the cause and effect relationship linking the two remains unclear. Due to the propensity for clotting, patients with malignancy are often anti-coagulated with heparin products, which paradoxically offer a survival benefit by an unknown mechanism....