Platelets and breast cancer

Background: An association was shown between thrombocyto-sis and future development of several cancers. Objectives: To investigate whether pre-treatment platelet counts correlated with clinical outcomes of patients with breast cancer. Methods: This retrospective study included 22 patients who had beendiagnosed with stagelbreastcancer(66.8±13.2yearsof age), 22 with stage II (61.6 ± 12.3 years old), and 9 with stage III and IV (64.4 ± 15.3 years old). Clinical and hematological data from the first visit to the oncology clinic were collected. The follow-up period was 12 months to 5 years. Results: A significant difference in platelet counts was found between patients who died (187,000 ± 4000 μ/L) and those who were disease free for 5 years (248,000 ± 83,000 μ/L, P= 0.0001). A significant difference in platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was found between patients who died and those with recurrence (192 ± 81 vs. 124 ± 71, P = 0.01). A negative correlation was found between age and lymph nodes [Ps = -0.305, P = 0.02) and staging and white blood cells count [Ps = -0.280, P = 0.04). A positive correlation was found between clinical staging and lymph nodes [Ps = 0.443, P = 0.001) and clinical staging and metastases (P= 0.308, P = 0.02). Conclusions: Platelet counts may be a prognostic marker for breast cancer. Patients who died within 1 year had lower pre-treatment platelet count, which could represent an insidious disseminated intravascular coagulopathy cancer related consumption process.