Breast tumour size as a predictor of hemostatic system status and endothelial function in dogs

Abstract

The high level of morbidity of dogs from mammary gland tumours and deficiencies in the pathogenesis give relevance to study of the disorders of the hemostatic system for predicting the neoplasia process. Our research concerned the determination of markers of the hemostatic system and endothelial function at different sizes (≤ 2, 5–7 and >10 cm) of benign (n = 28) and malignant (n = 27) breast tumours in dogs, taking into account their histological structure. The progression of the tumour process was accompanied by a 1.24–1.81 times increase in the fibrinogen content in the benign forms and 1.39–2.38 times in malignant against the background of progressive excess accumulation of soluble fibrin. The results of coagulation tests indicate that the increase in blood coagulation, which correlates with the magnitude of tumours, occurred mainly externally. In malignant neoplasms reliable, compared to clinically healthy dogs, reduction of total fibrinolytic activity occurred due to deficient inhibition of tissue plasminogen activator by 1.62–2.03 times. Increase in the size of benign neoplasms was accompanied by increased activity of the α1-inhibitor of proteinases, and in malignant – only in tumours of the size of 5–7 cm, against the background of its decrease in dogs with small and giant neoplasia. The progression of the disease was characterized by an increase in the content of α2-macroglobulin in benign lesions from 1.19–1.24 times, malignant – from 1.25–2.03 times. At the same time, there was a deepening of oxidative stress, as evidenced by the excess accumulation in the blood of malondialdehyde by 1.29–1.70 times in benign tumours, and 1.58–2.73 times in malignant. Regardless of the pathomorphologic form, the magnitude of the neoplasia foci is directly correlated with excess accumulation of nitric oxide and the level of hypoproteinemia, and vice versa – the content of ceruloplasmin. Further research should be undertaken to study the hemostatic status in certain nosological forms of breast tumours in dogs, which will improve the diagnosis and development of effective treatment protocols.

Keywords

• neoplasms; hemostasis balance; endothelial function; neoplasia size; hypercoagulation.