The Serum Tissue Factor Level in Lung Cancer Patients as a Prognostic Factor

This study uses serum tissue factor and tissue factor inhibitor and factor VII to monitor the pre-coagulation status in lung cancer patients and to correlate the pre-coagulation status with clinical staging and prognosis.

The staging of lung cancer was according to tumor size, involvement of lymph node and metastatic status. But there is a different prognosis in cancer patients of the same stage. The coagulation status of cancer patients was considered as an important possible prognostic factor. So in this study, we want to evaluate patients' coagulation status and find the relation of coagulation status and cancer status.

We thus propose a prospective study using coagulation factors in order to search for the relationship between cancer stage and pre-coagulation status in Taiwanese lung cancer patients. We will also evaluate the potential use of tissue factor as a prognosis predictor in lung cancer patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with newly-diagnosed lung cancer
• Serum from cancer-free healthy volunteers

Exclusion Criteria:

• Chronic renal failure or end-stage renal disease [ESRD] (creatinine [Cr] > 2 )
• Hyperlipidemia on statin therapy
• Acute myocardial infarction
• Tapal or Plavix use
• Active thromboembolic event
• Severe liver disease (> child B)