Abstract
Platelets are small anucleate cells present in the blood stream, their typical role in primary hemostasis has been well-described. However, new evidence suggests that they have critically important roles in cancer progression and inflammation. Cancer cells can activate platelets, thus using them as physical shields from blood shear forces and natural killer (NK) cells. The activated platelets may also regulate hematopoietic and immune cell migration toward the tumor site; therefore, contributing to the cancer-associated inflammation. The activation of platelets by cancer cells may also contribute to metastasis and cancer progression by stimulating deep venous thrombosis and neutrophil extracellular trap formations (NETs) that “hide” cancer cells. We strived to review the current literature to dissect the role of platelets in cancer-associated thrombosis and tumor microenvironment inflammation.
Highlights
Reviewed by: Paola Patrignani, Università degli Studi G. d’Annunzio Chieti e Pescara, Italy Anna-Karin Olsson, Uppsala University, Sweden
The activation of platelets by cancer cells may contribute to metastasis and cancer progression by stimulating deep venous thrombosis and neutrophil extracellular trap formations (NETs) that “hide” cancer cells
Platelets are originated from big, nucleated cells called megakaryocytes that reside in the bone marrow and are part of the hemopoietic cell line [6]
Summary
Platelets are small anucleate cells present in the blood stream, their typical role in primary hemostasis has been well-described. New evidence suggests that they have critically important roles in cancer progression and inflammation. Cancer cells can activate platelets, using them as physical shields from blood shear forces and natural killer (NK) cells. The activated platelets may regulate hematopoietic and immune cell migration toward the tumor site; contributing to the cancer-associated inflammation. The activation of platelets by cancer cells may contribute to metastasis and cancer progression by stimulating deep venous thrombosis and neutrophil extracellular trap formations (NETs) that “hide” cancer cells. We strived to review the current literature to dissect the role of platelets in cancer-associated thrombosis and tumor microenvironment inflammation
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