Selected parameters of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis prior to and after surgical treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.

Selected parameters of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis were evaluated in 20 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (stages T2/4 N0/3 M0). The control group consisted of 10 healthy age-matched men. The clotting time, calcium plasma clotting time, prothrombin time index and fibrinogen levels in the patients were similar to those observed in the controls. Increased fibrin degradation products (FDP) to 480 and 80 microg/min were found in patients before and after surgical treatment, respectively. We conclude that, in patients treated surgically because of carcinoma of the oral cavity, there might be increased activity of the fibrinolytic system both prior to and after operation.