Association between thrombocytosis and cancer: a review of current evidence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29076/issn.2602-8360vol9iss16.2025pp102-107pKeywords:
association, neoplasms, thrombocytosisAbstract
The role of blood platelets in hemostasis is well established; however, recent evidence indicates that platelet alterations have a significant relationship with malignancy processes. A systematic review on thrombocytosis was conducted using specialized databases such as PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus, and Cochrane, selecting publications with higher scientific evidence (meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and observational studies) in English and Spanish from the last five years. The results demonstrate that thrombocytosis is associated with various types of cancer through specific mechanisms, including immunological escape of malignant cells and an active tumor-megakaryocyte interaction that promotes their differentiation. The increase in both activity and number of platelets in healthy individuals correlated with malignancy development in subsequent years, while in oncological patients it was linked to reduced overall survival and higher recurrence rates, particularly in colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancers. In conclusion, progressive advances in thrombocytosis research could transform the prognosis of these patients. Additional studies are required to understand in greater depth the role that thrombocytosis plays in cancer evolution.
Downloads
References
1. Appleby N, Angelov D. Clinical and laboratory assessment of a patient with thrombocytosis. Br J Hosp Med Lond Engl 2005. 2017;78(10):558-64
2. Stockklausner C, Duffert C, Cario H, Knöfler R, Streif W, Kulozik A, et al. Thrombocytosis in children and adolescents-classification, diagnostic approach, and clinical management. Ann Hematol. 2021;100(7):1647-65
3. Josa V, Ferenczi S, Szalai R, Fuder E, Kuti D, Horvath K, et al. Thrombocytosis and Effects of IL-6 Knock-Out in a Colitis-Associated Cancer Model. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(17):6218
4. Sasaki K, Kawai K, Tsuno N, Sunami E, Kitayama J. Impact of preoperative thrombocytosis on the survival of patients with primary colorectal cancer. World J Surg. 2012;36(1):192-200
5. Sánchez N. Conociendo y comprendiendo la célula cancerosa: Fisiopatología del cáncer. Rev Médica Clínica Las Condes. 2013;24(4):553-62
6. Organización Mundial de la Salud. Cáncer [Internet]. 2022 [citado 19 de abril de 2022]. Disponible en: https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer
7. Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. 2021. Datos y estadísticas del cáncer. Disponible en: https://www.cdc.gov/spanish/cancer/dcpc/data/index.htm
8. Carrillo R. Trombocitosis. Rev Invest Med Sur Mex. 2013;20(4):254-6
9. Álvarez J, Bedoya N, Saldaña J. Enfoque clínico de la trombocitosis. Salut Sci Spirit. 2018;4(1):8.
10. Ma Y, Li G, Yu M, Sun X, Nian J, Gao Y, et al. Prognostic significance of thrombocytosis in lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Platelets. 2021;32(7):919-27
11. Tesfamariam B. Involvement of platelets in tumor cell metastasis. Pharmacol Ther. 2016 ;157:112-9
12. Ishizuka M, Nagata H, Takagi K, Iwasaki Y, Kubota K. Combination of platelet count and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is a useful predictor of postoperative survival in patients with colorectal cancer. Br J Cancer. 2013;109(2):401-7
13. Schlesinger M. Role of platelets and platelet receptors in cancer metastasis. J Hematol OncolJ Hematol Oncol. 2018;11:125
14. Giannakeas V, Narod SA. Incidence of Cancer Among Adults With Thrombocytosis in Ontario, Canada. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(8):e2120633
15. Bailey S, Ukoumunne OC, Shephard EA, Hamilton W. Clinical relevance of thrombocytosis in primary care: a prospective cohort study of cancer incidence using English electronic medical records and cancer registry data. Br J Gen Pract J R Coll Gen Pract . 2017;67(659):e405-13
16. López J, Caicedo G, Cárdenas L, Herrera J, Ramírez L, Toro EO, et al. Trombocitosis en tumores sólidos. Rev Colomb Hematol Oncol. 2020;7(1):51-8
17. Abdulrahman G, Das N, Lutchman K. The predictive role of thrombocytosis in benign, borderline and malignant ovarian tumors. Platelets. 2020;31(6):795-800
18. Barlow M, Hamilton W, Ukoumunne O, Bailey S. The association between thrombocytosis and subtype of lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Transl Cancer Res. 2021;10(3):1249-60
19. Du G, Yang Y, Yang Y, Zhang Y, Sun T, Liu W, et al. Thrombocytosis and immunohistochemical expression of connexin 43 at diagnosis predict survival in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2013;71(4):893-904
20. Yang C, Jiang H, Huang S, Hong H, Huang X, Wang X, et al. The prognostic role of pretreatment thrombocytosis in gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(31):e11763
21. Tal O, Eitan R, Gemer O, Helpman L, Vaknin Z, Leytes S, et al. Prognostic significance of pretreatment thrombocytosis in endometrial cancer: an Israeli Gynecologic Oncology Group study. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2021;31(11)
22. Sulibhavi A, Asokan S, Miller M, Moreira P, Daly B, Fernando HC, et al. Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes and Platelets Are Prognostic in Surgical pT1 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Ann Thorac Surg. 2020;109(2):337-42
23. Li L, Wang J, Meng S, Li Z, Huang Z, Sun J, et al. Peripheral Blood Leukocytes and Platelets Serve as Prognostic Factors in Breast Cancer. Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 2021;36(2):167-73
24. Crosby D, Bhatia S, Brindle K, Coussens L, Dive C, Emberton M, et al. Early detection of cancer. Science. 2022;375(6586):eaay9040
25. Phaiphichit J, Paboriboune P, Kunnavong S, Chanthavilay P. Factors associated with cervical cancer screening among women aged 25–60 years in Lao People’s Democratic Republic. PLoS ONE. 2022;17(4):e0266592
26. Wei W, Zhang M, Zuo D, Li Q, Zhang M, Chen X, et al. Screening Intention Prediction of Colorectal Cancer among Urban Chinese Based on the Protection Motivation Theory. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(7):4203
27. Zhu X. Factors Associated With Clinician Recommendations for Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Average-Risk Patients: Data From a National Survey. Prev Chronic Dis. 2022;19
28. Bleicher R. Timing and Delays in Breast Cancer Evaluation and Treatment. Ann Surg Oncol. 2018;25(10):2829-38
29. Tesfaw A, Getachew S, Addissie A, Jemal A, Wienke A, Taylor L, et al. Late-Stage Diagnosis and Associated Factors Among Breast Cancer Patients in South and Southwest Ethiopia: A Multicenter Study. Clin Breast Cancer. 2021;21(1):e112-9
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 FACSALUD-UNEMI
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Todos los artículos de la Revista FACSalud UNEMI son difundidos bajo licencia internacional Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObrasDerivadas 4.0.
Los autores mantienen los derechos de autor, y, por lo tanto, son libres de compartir, copiar, distribuir, ejecutar y comunicar públicamente la obra bajo las condiciones siguientes: Reconocer los créditos de la obra especificada por el autor e indicar si se realizaron cambios (puede hacerlo de cualquier forma razonable, pero no de una manera que sugiera que el autor respalda el uso que hace de su obra. No utilizar la obra para fines comerciales. En caso de remezcla, transformación o desarrollo, no puede distribuirse el material modificado.
