Florida Hospital System (see more articles like this)

The research paper titled “Tissue Factor Bearing Microparticles Derived from Tumor Cells: Impact on Coagulation Activation” is a compilation of findings from approximately two years of work. The authors and research team members are Monica Davila, Ali Amirkhosravi, Enriquita Coll, Hina Desai, Liza Robles, and John Francis.

The research proves, for the first time, that the tendency of thrombosis (or blood clots), a serious issue for cancer patients, is directly related to the presence and size of a solid tumor – in this case, human pancreatic cancer. 

“This research could lead to better treatment of thrombosis in cancer patients, better blood tests to predict the likelihood of thrombosis, and development of new tumor markers for earlier diagnosis,” said John Francis, PhD and director of the Florida Hospital Center for Thrombosis Research. “This journal is a top one in our field, and the article puts us on the ‘map’ in this area.”

Thrombosis is one of the leading causes of death in the western world, with 2-3 million cases in the U.S. alone every year. In the United States, blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) kills more people every year than breast cancer, AIDS and road traffic accidents combined. 

Created in 1994, the Florida Hospital Center for Thrombosis Research is part of the Florida
Hospital Institute of Translational Research and is the only location in Central Florida for thrombosis research. The thrombosis laboratory offers the widest range of esoteric blood coagulation tests available anywhere in Florida, performing approximately 50,000 tests annually, while its researchers have contributed approximately 100 articles to the medical literature. The Center for Thrombosis is also a founding member of the North American Specialized Coagulation Laboratory Association (NASCOLA).