Increased Mean Platelet Volume in Deep Vein Thrombosis Patients With Cancer

Abstract

Background: Patients who have malignancy have an increased risk of thromboembolism. Thromboembolic events occur in 4-20% of cancer patients. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a machine-calculated measurement of platelet size from the blood that is usually reported in the blood tests as part of the CBC. In this study, we aimed to determine whether there is any relationship between MPV and DVT in cancer patients. Methods: Outpatient oncology clinic records were searched between the period of 2006 and 2012 and 77 cancer patients with acute DVT were enrolled into the study. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with regard to the age, gender, and laboratory parameters except MPV. MPV values were significantly higher in patients with DVT (8.6 ± 1.3 vs 7.7 ± 0.7, P < 0.001). The most common cancer types were colorectal, gynecologic and breast cancer in DVT patients. In the DVT group 46% of cancer was adenocarcinoma. Conclusion: We have shown that MPV was significantly elevated in cancer patients with DVT compared to the cancer patients without DVT. Chemotherapy is one of the major risk factor for DVT in cancer patients. Chemotherapy regimens may increase MPV and so might trigger thromboembolism in cancer patients. Being metastatic or nonmetastatic is not a risk factor for increased MPV. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4021/jh85w