Evaluation of a Novel Blood Test Hypercoagulability in Surgical Patients With Metastatic Carcinoma: A Pilot Study

Brief Summary

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine whether whole blood thrombin generation assay (WBTGA) detects hypercoagulability in patients with metastatic carcinoma compared with a healthy control group. * Determine whether results of the WBTGA will change as a result of major surgery performed on patients with metastatic carcinoma. * Establish a reference interval for the WBTGA using healthy controls. Secondary * Compare a battery of plasma components known to affect or reflect coagulant or fibrinolytic reactions in patients with metastatic carcinoma vs healthy controls. * Establish reference intervals for this battery of tests using healthy controls. * Determine how major surgery in cancer patients affects this battery of factors. * Identify changes in these factors that correlate with changes in the WBTGA. * Compare the results of WBTGA tests in patients who develop venous thromboembolism (VTE) with those who do not. OUTLINE: This is a pilot study. Blood samples of patients are collected on day -7 and day 1 after surgery. Blood samples of healthy controls are collected once. After collection, blood samples are analyzed for hypercoagulability by whole blood thrombin generation assay. Routine blood tests are performed, as are immunoenzyme techniques for antigenic tissue plasminogen activator and its inhibitor, thrombin-antithrombin complexes, tissue factor, factor VIIa, D-dimer, and glycocalicin. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 30 patients and 30 healthy controls will be accrued for this study.

Primary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes

• Comparison of the results of whole blood thrombin generation assay tests in patients who develop venous thromboembolism with those who do not