Thrombocytosis: platelet kinetics in neoplasia.

Abstract

Abstract Autologous platelet survival studies using 51 Chromium ( 51 Cr) as a label are reported for five patients with nonhematologic malignancies and associated thrombocytosis. All patients had platelet counts greater than 550,000 per microliter. The in vivo platelet disappearance was linear with a life-span of 6.0 to 7.4 days. The platelet turnover rate (platelet count divided by life-span) was increased 2 to 4 times that measured in 10 normal subjects. Base on these data, the thrombocytosis seen in association with neoplasia can be explained by an increase in platelet production. The in vivo survival of these labeled platelets is mildly shortened.