Following the administration of cytostatic drugs, an increase in thromboembolic phenomena has been described in cancer patients. Such hemostatic alterations may be related to degree of hipercoa-gulability observed following chemotherapy, in comparison to previous levels. In terms of the fibrinolytic system, however, no - clearly defined alterations have been detected. We studied the - changes in plasmatic coagulation and fibrinolysis in 40 patients with non-operable stage III and IV lung cancer

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... (30 epidermoid - ad 10 microcytic neoplasms) following cytostatic chemotherapy. Two studies were done on each patient, i.e., one at the time of diagnosis, -and the other 48 hours after completing the first chemotherapeutic cycle. The results show significant (p 0,05) post-chemotherapy increases in fibrinopeptide A (FPA) levels (pre: 2.95 ± 3.98, post: 8.15 ± 9.40 ng/ml), as well as a decrease in fibrinolytic activity reflected by a drop (p 0.01) in functional tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) (pre: 1.53 ± 1.66, post: 0.91 ± 0.95 ng/ml). Morever, a tendency towards reduced euglobulinic precipitate lysis on fibrin agar was observed (pre: 122.8 ± 85.7, post: 105 ± 71.5%). The other parameters evaluated, i.e., antithrombin III, plasminogen immunologic t-PA and functional PA inhibitor - (PAI) showed no significant changes.We have also studied the potential accumulative effect of three chemotherapy courses and the results were compared to the situation at the time of diagnosis. A significant increase p 0.01 in functional PAI has been observed (pre: 1.85 ± 2.38, post: 5.41 ± 3.74 U/ml). The possible participation of tumor mass in the elevation of these parameter was considered: but no relation betwen tumor mass and increase PAI have been detected.Chemotherapy is apparently capable of conditioning a decrease in fibrinolytic activity in these cancer patients, this could be related to the enhanced tendency of these patients to developing - thromboembolic phenomena following cytostatic chemotherapy.