The role of thrombin in tumor biology

Abstract

A large body of work supports the association of thrombosis and malignancy. Accumulating laboratory and clinical data point to the important role of thrombin in tumor biology. Thrombin is able to stimulate tumor adhesion and growth by direct tumor cell activation through membrane protease-activated receptors (PARs) or indirectly through platelet-tumor cell interactions and angiogenesis. Thrombin is able to enhance metastases by increasing tumor cell seeding into the circulation, by platelet-mediated tumor cell sequestration and protection from immune cells, and by stimulating tumor neoangiogenesis. In addition we hypothesize that thrombin may preserve dormant tumor cells in individuals.