I would like to bring to the attention of the authors that in 2000 we published a paper in Medical Hypotheses (54:456-460) proposing a mechanism by which fibrin protects tumor cells against recognition and killing by cellular immune system. This concept is based on decades of previous research on the role of soluble fibrin monomers in degenerative diseases and specifically in cancer. A characteristic feature of of a fibrin coat around the tumor cells is its remarkable resistance to fibrinolytic degradation that normally removes readily any intravascular fibrin deposits. Our recent studies indicate that such a resistance might be due to the presence in fibrin clots of free radical-induced polymerized form of fibrinogen. In addition we have found that sodium selenite prevents the formation of a protective fibrin-fibrinogen protective coat on tumor cells.
Resistance of cancer cell to immune killing
23 June 2008
I would like to bring to the attention of the authors that in 2000 we published a paper in Medical Hypotheses (54:456-460) proposing a mechanism by which fibrin protects tumor cells against recognition and killing by cellular immune system. This concept is based on decades of previous research on the role of soluble fibrin monomers in degenerative diseases and specifically in cancer. A characteristic feature of of a fibrin coat around the tumor cells is its remarkable resistance to fibrinolytic degradation that normally removes readily any intravascular fibrin deposits. Our recent studies indicate that such a resistance might be due to the presence in fibrin clots of free radical-induced polymerized form of fibrinogen. In addition we have found that sodium selenite prevents the formation of a protective fibrin-fibrinogen protective coat on tumor cells.
Boguslaw Lipinski, Ph.D.
Competing interests
None declared