PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - KLAUS-PETER DIECKMANN
AU  - WERNER JAN STRUSS
AU  - ULRICH BUDDE
TI  - Evidence for Acute Vascular Toxicity of Cisplatin-based Chemotherapy in Patients with Germ Cell Tumour
DP  - 2011 Dec 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 4501--4505
VI  - 31
IP  - 12
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/31/12/4501.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/31/12/4501.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2011 Dec 01; 31
AB  - Background: Acute early vascular toxicity of chemotherapy for germ cell tumour (GCT) is poorly understood. To explore the pathogenesis of this complication we evaluated laboratory parameters associated with vascular disease. Patients and Methods: In 33 GCT patients the following parameters were investigated with routine laboratory methods before and after chemotherapy: von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:AG), collagen binding capacity (vWF:CB), lipoprotein (a), homocysteine, plasminogen activator inhibitor I, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, troponine I. Statistical evaluation involved descriptive analysis and the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: Levels of vWF:AG and vWF:CB increased significantly upon therapy (p=0.002). All other parameters remained unchanged. Upon late measurement, vWF:AG and vWF:CB were normalised. Conclusion: As von Willebrand factor is released from endothelial cells upon damage, we postulate that early vascular toxicity of chemotherapy is caused by direct damage of the vascular endothelium. Long-term vascular complications of chemotherapy appear to be different, pathogenetically.