ABSTRACT
The association between cancer and thrombosis has been known for years. Besides the well-recognized connection between venous thromboembolism and malignancies, there are, however, also other manifestations of (micro)vascular dysfunction in combination with an activated coagulation system in cancer patients. In fact, coagulation derangements and vascular disturbances in patients with cancer cover a wide spectrum of diseases and various clinical manifestations. In this review, we will highlight the mechanisms that play a role in the systemic activation of coagulation in cancer patients, in its most severe form manifested as disseminated intravascular coagulation. Furthermore, the role of perturbed endothelium, in particular in the setting of cancer and chemo-or radiotherapy, in the pathogenesis of microvascular dysfunction and microangiopathy will be discussed.
