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Hamostaseologie
DOI: 10.1055/a-2251-6766
Original Article

Circulating Tumor Cells and Thromboembolic Events in Patients with Glioblastoma

Christina C. Rolling
1   Department of Oncology, Hematology and BMT with Section of Pneumology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
,
Malte Mohme
2   Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
,
Carsten Bokemeyer
1   Department of Oncology, Hematology and BMT with Section of Pneumology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
,
Manfred Westphal
2   Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
,
Sabine Riethdorf
2   Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
,
Katrin Lamszus
2   Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
,
Klaus Pantel
3   Department of Tumour Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
,
Felix Klingler   *
1   Department of Oncology, Hematology and BMT with Section of Pneumology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
,
Florian Langer   *
1   Department of Oncology, Hematology and BMT with Section of Pneumology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
› Author Affiliations Funding C.C.R. is supported by the Margarete Clemens Stiftung (Deutsches Stiftungszentrum).
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Abstract

Patients with glioblastoma (GBM) are at increased risk for arterial and venous thromboembolism (TE). Risk factors include surgery, the use of corticosteroids, radiation, and chemotherapy, but also prothrombotic characteristics of the tumor itself such as expression of tissue factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, or podoplanin. Although distant metastases are extremely rare in this tumor entity, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been detected in a significant proportion of GBM patients, potentially linking local tumor growth characteristics to systemic hypercoagulability. We performed post hoc analysis of a study, in which GBM patients had been investigated for CTCs. Information on TE was retrieved from electronic patient charts. In total, 133 patients (median age, 63 years; interquartile range, 53–70 years) were analyzed. During follow-up, TE was documented in 14 patients (11%), including 8 venous and 6 arterial events. CTCs were detected in 26 patients (20%). Four (15%) patients with CTCs had a TE compared with 10 (9%) patients without CTCs. There was no difference in the frequency of TE events between patients with and those without detectable CTCs (p = 0.58). In summary, although our study confirms a high risk of TE in GBM patients, it does not point to an obvious association between CTCs and vascular thrombosis.

Keywords

glioblastoma - circulating tumor cells - deep vein thrombosis - myocardial infarction

Authors' Contributions

C.C.R. designed the study, collected clinical data, analyzed the data, and wrote the first draft of manuscript. F.L. designed the study, analyzed the data, and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. F.K. collected clinical data, performed the analysis, and critically revised the manuscript. M.M., C.B., M.W., S.R., K.L., K.P. critically revised the manuscript.


* Share senior authorship.




Publication History

Received: 27 September 2023

Accepted: 22 January 2024

Article published online:
18 April 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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