Multifaceted role of cancer educated platelets in survival of cancer cells

Platelets, the derivatives of megakaryocytes, pose dynamic biological functions such as homeostasis and wound healing. The mechanisms involved in these processes are utilized by cancerous cells for proliferation and metastasis. Platelets through their activation establishes an aggregate termed as Tumor cell induced platelet aggregation (TCIPA) that aids in establishing a niche for the primary tumor at secondary site while recruiting granulocytes and monocytes. The study of these close interactions between tumor and platelets can be exploited as biomarkers in liquid biopsy for early cancer detection thereby increasing the life expectancy of cancer patients.
Source: Thrombosis Research - Category: Hematology Authors: Tags: Review Article Source Type: research