Hemostatic Biomarkers and Cancer Prognosis: Where Do We Stand?

Cancer patients are characterized by hypercoagulable state and an increased rate of thrombotic events, the most common being venous thromboembolism. Several hemostatic pathways that are significantly implicated in mechanisms of thromboembolic disease are also involved in growth, invasion, and metastatic spread of malignant cells as well in tumor-induced neo-angiogenesis. This close connection between cancer and the hemostatic system has prompted numerous studies on the role of alterations in the level plasma biomarkers of the different compartments of hemostasis in predicting cancer prognosis. In this review, we collect the results of several exemplificative studies that have evaluated clotting activation biomarkers in relation to different cancer outcomes with a final emphasis on current research and forthcoming directions in this field.

Thrombotic biomarkers for risk prediction of malignant disease recurrence in patients with early stage breast cancer.

In cancer patients, hypercoagulability is a common finding. It has been associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism, but also to tumor proliferation and progression. In this prospective study of a large cohort of breast cancer patients, we aimed to evaluate whether pre-chemotherapy abnormalities in hemostatic biomarkers levels: (i) are associated with breast cancer-specific clinico-pathological features; and (ii) can predict for disease recurrence. D-dimer, fibrinogen, prothrombin fragment 1+2, and FVIIa/antithrombin levels were measured in 701 early-stage resected breast cancer patients candidate to adjuvant chemotherapy and prospectively enrolled in the HYPERCAN study. Significant prognostic parameters for disease recurrence were identified by Cox regression multivariate analysis and used for generating a risk assessment model. Pre-chemotherapy D-dimer, fibrinogen, and pro-thrombin fragment 1+2 levels were significantly associated with tumor size and lymph node metastasis. After 3.4 years of follow up, 71 patients experienced a recurrence. Cox multivariate analysis identified prothrombin fragment 1+2, tumor size, and Luminal B HER2-negative or triple negative molecular subtypes as independent risk factors for disease recurrence. Based on these variables, we generated a risk assessment model that significantly differentiated patients at low- and high-risk of recurrence (cumulative incidence: 6.2 vs 20.7%; Hazard Ratio=3.5; P<0.001). Our prospective clinical and laboratory data from the HYPERCAN study were crucial for generating a scoring model for assessing risk of disease recurrence in resected breast cancer patients, candidate to systemic chemotherapy. This finding stimulates future investigations addressing the role of plasma prothrombin fragment 1+2 in the management of breast cancer patients to provide the rationale for new therapeutic strategies. (The HYPERCAN study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov identifier 02622815).

Low levels of ADAMTS-13 with high anti-ADAMTS-13 antibodies during remission of immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura highly predict for disease relapse: A multi-institutional study.

Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is a life-threatening immune-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy. Daily therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and the optimized use of rituximab have strikingly improved the outcome of this disease, however the rate of disease recurrence remains high. Specific predictors of relapse in patients in remission can be relevant for an optimal patient management. In this study, we aimed to identify predictive variables of disease relapse in a multicenter cohort of 74 out of 153 iTTP patients. They were tested at different time points during remission for the levels of ADAMTS-13 activity and autoantibody, and did not receive pre-emptive treatment for ADAMTS-13 activity deficiency during remission. The results showed that the association of ADAMTS13 activity ≤20% with a high anti-ADAMTS-13 titer at remission, and the time to response to first line treatment ≥13 days, were independent predictive factors of disease relapse. In addition, the use of rituximab in patients with exacerbation or refractoriness to TPE was significantly associated with reduced relapse rate. By Cox regression analysis, patients with ADAMTS-13 activity ≤20% plus anti-ADAMTS13 antibody titer ≥15 U/mL at remission had an increased risk of relapse (HR 1.98, CI 95% 1.087-3.614; P < .02). These findings may help to outline more personalized therapeutic strategies in order to provide faster and sustained responses to first-line iTTP treatment and prevent relapses in these patients.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia cell adhesion to vascular endothelium is reduced by heparins.

Adhesion of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells to endothelial cells (EC) is among the mechanisms of the APL-associated coagulopathy, responsible for early hemorrhagic deaths in affected patients. We compared the effects of dalteparin and enoxaparin, two low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH), and unfractionated heparin (UFH), on APL NB4 adhesion to micro- (HMEC-1) and macro-vascular EC (HUVEC), in resting and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)-stimulated conditions. The heparin effect on EC adhesion molecule (ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin) expression was also assessed. In HMEC-1, dalteparin inhibited IL1ß-induced NB4 adhesion by 80%, enoxaparin by 52%, and UFH by 44%. Similar results were obtained in HUVEC. This was associated with a significant decrease of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression. In conclusion, we show that LMWH significantly counteract APL cell adhesion to the vessel wall, by modulating EC adhesion molecule expression. This property of heparins may represent one approach for hampering excess clotting activation and microthrombi deposition in APL.

FANCM c.5791C>T nonsense mutation (rs144567652) induces exon skipping, affects DNA repair activity and is a familial breast cancer risk factor.

Numerous genetic factors that influence breast cancer risk are known. However, approximately two-thirds of the overall familial risk remain unexplained. To determine whether some of the missing heritability is due to rare variants conferring high to moderate risk, we tested for an association between the c.5791C>T nonsense mutation (p.Arg1931*; rs144567652) in exon 22 of FANCM gene and breast cancer. An analysis of genotyping data from 8635 familial breast cancer cases and 6625 controls from different countries yielded an association between the c.5791C>T mutation and breast cancer risk [odds ratio (OR) = 3.93 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.28-12.11; P = 0.017)]. Moreover, we performed two meta-analyses of studies from countries with carriers in both cases and controls and of all available data. These analyses showed breast cancer associations with OR = 3.67 (95% CI = 1.04-12.87; P = 0.043) and OR = 3.33 (95% CI = 1.09-13.62; P = 0.032), respectively. Based on information theory-based prediction, we established that the mutation caused an out-of-frame deletion of exon 22, due to the creation of a binding site for the pre-mRNA processing protein hnRNP A1. Furthermore, genetic complementation analyses showed that the mutation influenced the DNA repair activity of the FANCM protein. In summary, we provide evidence for the first time showing that the common p.Arg1931* loss-of-function variant in FANCM is a risk factor for familial breast cancer.

Long Term Low Molecular Weight Heparin Anticoagulant Therapy Modulates Thrombin Generation and D-dimer in Patients with Cancer and Venous Thromboembolism.

We enrolled 62 consecutive patients with advanced stage cancers and venous thromboembolism (VTE), prospectively followed until 1 year. All patients received 6 month low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) therapy. We evaluated thrombin generation (TG) and D-dimer levels at different time points, to determine whether they were sensitive to LMWH and explore a possible association with VTE recurrence, bleeding, and overall survival. During LMWH, levels of TG and D-dimer significantly dropped. No VTE recurrences occurred, one patient had cancer-related intestinal hemorrhage. LMWH treatment was effective in controlling patient hypercoagulation. No VTE recurrences were detected. High D-dimer concentration was an independent predictor of poor survival.

Haplotype analyses of the c.1027C>T and c.2167_2168delAT recurrent truncating mutations in the breast cancer-predisposing gene PALB2.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer-predisposing mutations PALB2 c.1027C>T (p.Gln343*) and PALB2 c.2167_2168delAT have each been observed multiple times in breast cancer families of Italian ancestry. More recently, the c2167_2168delAT mutation was identified in unrelated breast cancer cases of various ancestries. For each mutation, we investigated whether the origin was multiple mutational events (a "hot-spot") or a single event (a founder allele). METHODS: We genotyped and reconstructed haplotypes for 36 participants of Italian, Italian-American, Hispanic, and Nigerian ancestries, using seven short tandem repeat (STR) markers that covered 3 Megabases within and flanking PALB2 on chromosome 16. RESULTS: For PALB2 c.1027C>T, a shared haplotype with a minimum size of 150 kb was shared by all 19 carriers investigated, all of Italian ancestry. This result suggests that this allele arose as a single event in a shared ancestor. For PALB2 c.2167_2168delAT, all 12 carriers from American-Italian and Italian families shared a 1-Mb haplotype, the 3 Hispanic carriers shared a different haplotype of size 2 Mb, and the Nigerian carrier had different alleles at all 7 STR markers. These results suggest that PALB2 c.2167_2168delAT arose multiple times, but that within each population, PALB2 c.2167_2168delAT likely represents a single mutational event. CONCLUSION: We identified two PALB2 mutations that are founder alleles in Italian families, one of which is, independently, also a founder mutation in American-Hispanic breast cancers.

PALB2 sequencing in Italian familial breast cancer cases reveals a high-risk mutation recurrent in the province of Bergamo.

PURPOSE: Monoallelic germ-line deleterious mutations of PALB2 (partner and localizer of BRCA2) are associated with breast cancer risk and have been found in several populations, with carrier frequencies of ~1-2%. Initially, these mutations were considered to have moderate penetrance, but accumulating evidence now indicates that they are associated with much higher risk. METHODS: In this study, we sequenced the PALB2 coding regions unlinked to BRCA (breast cancer) genes in 575 probands from Italian breast cancer families recruited in Milan. RESULTS: We found 12 carriers (2.1%) of deleterious mutations, and none of the mutations was found in 784 controls collected in Milan. One of these mutations, the c.1027C>T (p.Gln343X), was found to be recurrent in the province of Bergamo in northern Italy, being detected in 6/113 (5.3%) familial breast cancer cases and 2/477 (0.4%) controls recruited in this area (Fisher's exact test: P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide confirmatory findings that, in the Italian population also, deleterious mutations of PALB2 are relatively frequent predisposing factors for breast cancer and may be associated with high risk of the disease.

Thrombosis in myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Thrombotic events are very frequent and represent the main cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), mainly polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia. Pathogenesis of blood clotting activation in these diseases is multifactorial, and it involves various abnormalities of platelets, erythrocytes, and leukocytes, as well as dysfunctions of endothelial cells. These include not only elevations in the counts of circulating blood cells, arising from the clonal proliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells, but also modifications of several physiological/molecular properties. Patients with MPN can be stratified in "high-risk" or "low-risk" thrombotic categories according to the age and history of thrombosis. The most commonly used front-line drugs for the treatment of high-risk patients include hydroxyurea and interferon alpha, whereas in low-risk patients, primary antithrombotic prophylaxis with aspirin is used. Future research should be focused on the evaluation of the role of biomarkers in identifying MPN patients at higher risk of thrombosis, who may benefit from primary thromboprophylaxis. Finally, a better understanding of the molecular events leading to the progress of the hypercoagulable state in MPN patients may provide appropriate tools for the development of targeted therapies based on reversal of coagulopathy.

Phospholipid-dependent procoagulant activity is highly expressed by circulating microparticles in patients with essential thrombocythemia.

This study evaluates the functional procoagulant features of plasma microparticle (MP) to explore the MP contribution to the hypercoagulable state of patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET). Platelet-free plasma samples were obtained from 73 ET patients (37 positive for the JAK2V617F mutation) and 72 control subjects. The calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT) was performed in plasma samples to determine thrombin generation of MP-associated tissue factor (TF) and procoagulant phospholipid (PPL) activity, and the STA Procoag PPL assay to measure MP-PPL activity only. Both thrombin generation and PPL procoagulant activities were found significantly elevated in ET patients compared to controls, and were associated to significantly higher levels of TF antigen and FVIIa/AT complex. Thrombin generation was significantly greater in JAK2-V617F positive compared to JAK2-V617F negative patients and normal subjects. Significant correlations were found between the PPL-assay and the different parameters of the CAT assay. No difference was seen between the thrombosis and no thrombosis group. Prospective studies are needed to test whether MP-associated thrombin generation and procoagulant activity may predict for thrombosis in these patients.

JAK2V617F mutation and hydroxyurea treatment as determinants of immature platelet parameters in essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera patients.

Immature platelets (IPFs), which are hemostatically more active than mature platelets, have been found elevated in essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera, 2 myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) characterized by an increased risk of thrombosis. It is not known whether the IPF levels are influenced by pathogenetic factors, including JAK2V617F mutational status, or by treatment regimen. To address this point, in 46 essential thrombocythemia and 38 polycythemia vera consecutive patients, we measured IPF and correlated the results to JAK2V617F mutation and myelosuppressive treatment with hydroxyurea. This analysis provides 2 new elements regarding IPF and MPN. The first finding is that the JAK2V617F mutation is linked to the quantity of IPF in patients with MPN, which might contribute to the prothrombotic phenotype in these patients. The second finding is that IPF is susceptible to myelosuppressive treatment, which may additionally explain the favorable effect of hydroxyurea therapy on MPN outcome as well as the associated thrombotic risk.

Tissue Factor Expression on Platelet Surface during Preparation and Storage of Platelet Concentrates.

BACKGROUND: Tissue factor (TF), the main activator of blood coagulation, is expressed on platelet surface and, together with procoagulant phospholipids, contributes to the global coagulation potential of these blood components. The present study evaluated, for the first time, the expression of TF on platelet surface during preparation and storage of platelet concentrates (PC) for transfusional use. METHODS: Platelet TF was measured by flow cytometry in healthy donor whole blood (WB) and in pooled buffy-coat-derived PC on the day of preparation and up to 4 days of storage in parallel with classical markers of platelet activation, i.e., fibrinogen, P-selectin, and glycoprotein GPIIb. Data were analyzed according to donor age and blood ABO group. RESULTS: TF was detected on whole blood platelets and was found highest in O donors. Compared to whole blood, platelet surface TF was higher upon PC preparation and further increased during storage. The rise in TF levels positively correlated with the elevations of the other platelet markers. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that platelet surface TF is maintained in PC obtained by the pooled buffy coat method. Further studies are warranted to investigate a possible correlation between TF levels and the hemostatic response of the platelet transfusion recipient.

Cancer-associated thrombosis: enhanced awareness and pathophysiologic complexity.

Thrombosis, both venous and arterial, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer. Studies on the molecular basis of cancer-associated thrombophilia have a long story starting from the first observation of the presence of tumor cells in circulating microthrombi 2 centuries ago. The profound link between pathways of blood coagulation and tumor biology has been more and more unraveled, and new actors in this complex interaction have been identified. The unfavorable impact of thrombosis in a patient with cancer, on which also hangs a high bleeding risk as compared to the noncancer population, has led during years to the production of large clinical studies to adopt the best prophylaxis and treatment strategies of venous thromboembolism in different medical and surgical settings, now incorporated in dedicated international guidelines. This field, however, still represents an open challenge due to the intrinsic variability of the patient with cancer with his/her personal medical history and cardiovascular risk factors, as well as the type, site and stage of the tumor, and the use of a wide array of new sophisticated anticancer drugs. This review aims to highlight some of the many key observations in the field of cancer and thrombosis, spanning the scope from fundamental tumor biology to advanced clinical trials of new anticoagulants. We hope that some of the examples we have included will inspire readers to explore and discuss these topics, thereby increasing awareness of cancer-related thrombosis in both physicians and patients.

The unfolded protein response links ER stress to cancer-associated thrombosis.

Thrombosis is a common complication of advanced cancer, yet the cellular mechanisms linking malignancy to thrombosis are poorly understood. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an ER stress response associated with advanced cancers. A proteomic evaluation of plasma from patients with gastric and non-small cell lung cancer who were monitored prospectively for venous thromboembolism demonstrated increased levels of UPR-related markers in plasma of patients who developed clots compared with those who did not. Release of procoagulant activity into supernatants of gastric, lung, and pancreatic cancer cells was enhanced by UPR induction and blocked by antagonists of the UPR receptors inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) and protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK). Release of extracellular vesicles bearing tissue factor (EVTFs) from pancreatic cancer cells was inhibited by siRNA-mediated knockdown of IRE1α/XBP1 or PERK pathways. Induction of UPR did not increase tissue factor (TF) synthesis, but rather stimulated localization of TF to the cell surface. UPR-induced TF delivery to EVTFs was inhibited by ADP-ribosylation factor 1 knockdown or GBF1 antagonism, verifying the role of vesicular trafficking. Our findings show that UPR activation resulted in increased vesicular trafficking leading to release of prothrombotic EVTFs, thus providing a mechanistic link between ER stress and cancer-associated thrombosis.

Hemostatic Profile and Serological Response of Patients with Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura after Receiving BNT162b2 Vaccine: A Prospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease is a clinical challenge for patients with autoimmune conditions. Patients affected by immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) are particularly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Protecting these patients with vaccination is therefore mandatory, although concerns may exist on a possible increased thrombotic risk or risk of disease relapse after vaccine exposure. So far, there is no information on serological response and hemostatic activation in iTTP patients after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, in April 2021, we enrolled iTTP patients in clinical remission and on regular outpatient follow-up to receive the first and second dose BNT162b2 vaccine as a part of a prospective trial aimed at monitoring for 6 months after vaccination the occurrence of subclinical laboratory signs of clotting activation, as well as overt thrombotic complications or disease relapse. The seroconversion response was monitored in parallel. The results were compared with those of control non-iTTP subjects. RESULTS: A moderate decrease of ADAMTS-13 activity was recorded at 3 and 6 months in five patients with normal values at baseline, while an ADAMTS-13 relapse occurred at 6 months in one patient. Abnormalities in the endothelium activation biomarkers postvaccination were observed in iTTP patients compared with controls. The immunological response to vaccine was overall positive. No clinical iTTP relapses or thrombotic events manifested in the 6 month-follow-up after vaccination. CONCLUSION: The results of this study are in favor of efficacy and safety of mRNA vaccines in patients with iTTP, and highlight the importance of long-term monitoring of iTTP patients.

Platelet proteo-transcriptomic profiling validates mediators of thrombosis and proteostasis in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Patients with chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) including polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) exhibit unique clinical features, such as a tendency toward thrombosis and hemorrhage, and risk of disease progression to secondary bone marrow fibrosis and/or acute leukemia. Although an increase in blood cell lineage counts (quantitative features) contribute to these morbid sequelae, the significant qualitative abnormalities of myeloid cells that contribute to vascular risk are not well understood. Here, we address this critical knowledge gap via a comprehensive and untargeted profiling of the platelet proteome in a large (n= 140) cohort of patients (from two independent sites) with an established diagnosis of PV and ET (and complement prior work on the MPN platelet transcriptome from a third site). We discover distinct MPN platelet protein expression and confirm key molecular impairments associated with proteostasis and thrombosis mechanisms of potential relevance to MPN pathology. Specifically, we validate expression of high-priority candidate markers from the platelet transcriptome at the platelet proteome (e.g., calreticulin (CALR), Fc gamma receptor (FcγRIIA) and galectin-1 (LGALS1) pointing to their likely significance in the proinflammatory, prothrombotic and profibrotic phenotypes in patients with MPN. Together, our proteo-transcriptomic study identifies the peripherally-derived platelet molecular profile as a potential window into MPN pathophysiology and demonstrates the value of integrative multi-omic approaches in gaining a better understanding of the complex molecular dynamics of disease.

Utility of the Khorana and the new-Vienna CATS prediction scores in cancer patients of the HYPERCAN cohort.

BACKGROUND: Risk assessment models (RAMs) are relevant approaches to identify cancer outpatients at high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Among the proposed RAMs, the Khorana (KRS) and the new-Vienna CATS risk scores have been externally validated in ambulatory patients with cancer. OBJECTIVES: To test KRS and new-Vienna CATS scores in 6-month VTE prediction and mortality in a large prospective cohort of metastatic cancer outpatients during chemotherapy. PATIENTS/METHODS: Newly diagnosed patients with metastatic non-small cell lung, colorectal, gastric, or breast cancers were analyzed (n = 1286). The cumulative incidence of objectively confirmed VTE was estimated with death as a competing risk and multivariate Fine and Gray regression. RESULTS: Within 6 months, 120 VTE events (9.7%) occurred. The KRS and the new-Vienna CATS scores showed comparable c-stat. Stratification by KRS provided VTE cumulative incidences of 6.2%, 11.4%, and 11.5% in the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk categories, respectively (p = ns), and of 8.5% vs. 11.8% (p = ns) in the low- vs. high-risk group by the single 2-point cut-off value stratification. Using a pre-defined 60-point cut-off by the new-Vienna CATS score, 6.6% and 12.2% cumulative incidences were obtained in the low- and high-risk groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Furthermore, having a KRS ≥2 = or a new-Vienna CATS score >60 points was also an independent risk factor for mortality. CONCLUSION: In our cohort, the 2 RAMs showed a comparable discriminating potential; however, after the application of cut-off values, the new-Vienna CATS score provided statistically significant stratification for VTE. Both RAMs proved to be effective in identifying patients at increased risk of mortality.

A New Risk Prediction Model for Venous Thromboembolism and Death in Ambulatory Lung Cancer Patients.

(1) Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication in ambulatory lung cancer patients during chemotherapy and is associated with increased mortality. (2) Methods: We analyzed 568 newly diagnosed metastatic lung cancer patients prospectively enrolled in the HYPERCAN study. Blood samples collected before chemotherapy were tested for thrombin generation (TG) and a panel of hemostatic biomarkers. The Khorana risk score (KRS), new-Vienna CATS, PROTECHT, and CONKO risk assessment models (RAMs) were applied. (3) Results: Within 6 months, the cumulative incidences of VTE and mortality were 12% and 29%, respectively. Patients with VTE showed significantly increased levels of D-dimer, FVIII, prothrombin fragment 1 + 2, and TG. D-dimer and ECOG performance status were identified as independent risk factors for VTE and mortality by multivariable analysis and utilized to generate a risk score that provided a cumulative incidence of VTE of 6% vs. 25%, death of 19% vs. 55%, and in the low- vs. high-risk group, respectively (p < 0.001). While all published RAMs significantly stratified patients for risk of death, only the CATS and CONKO were able to stratify patients for VTE. (4) Conclusions: A new prediction model was generated to stratify lung cancer patients for VTE and mortality risk, where other published RAMs failed.

Venous thromboembolism in the hematologic malignancies.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review summarizes the current knowledge of the epidemiology, prophylaxis, and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with lymphoma, multiple myeloma or acute leukemia. RECENT FINDINGS: Hematologic malignancies are associated with a high risk of thrombotic complications. The incidence of these events is greatly variable and is influenced by many factors, including the type and the stage of disease, antitumor therapies, and the use of central venous device (CVD). Epidemiological data allow an estimate of the incidence of VTE in acute leukemia, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma. The effect of chemotherapy on the incidence of thrombosis is particularly evident in acute leukemia as it causes the exacerbation of the clotting/bleeding syndrome typical of this disease. The role of chemotherapy is also relevant in lymphoma, and in multiple myeloma, in which the use of immunomodulating agents, in combination with chemotherapy and steroids significantly increases the risk of VTE. SUMMARY: Thrombotic complications have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality of hematological cancer patients, therefore, in this setting, the issue of thromboprophylaxis to prevent VTE is important. However, no clear recommendation in these conditions is available, with the exception of multiple myeloma. Large prospective randomized clinical trials are needed to establish the best practice for prevention and treatment of VTE in these types of malignant diseases.