Treatment of solid tumors and metastases by fibrinogen-targeted anticancer drug therapy

Med Hypotheses. 2007;68(1):188-93. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2006.06.045. Epub 2006 Sep 7.

Abstract

The accumulation of fibrin/fibrinogen and other coagulation factors in and around solid tumors and metastatic foci has been recognized for a century as an aspect of cancer pathology. On this basis, anticoagulants and fibrinolytic agents have been deployed as adjuvant anticancer therapies, but they have proved clinically useful for only a small proportion of tumors and they only control the functions of the coagulant components. Overuse or long-term application of anticoagulants and fibrinolytic agents often lead to undesirable side-effects. Here, we propose that anticancer drugs that act by different mechanisms can inhibit tumor-associated coagulation, and it may be possible to develop drugs that specifically targeting tumor-related coagulation, have specific cytotoxic effects on tumor and metastatic cells. We provide laboratory and clinical evidence supporting the hypothesis and offer proposals for future applications.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods*
  • Drug Design
  • Fibrinogen / drug effects*
  • Fibrinogen / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological*
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Fibrinogen