Thromboxane Synthase and Organ Preference for Metastases

To the Editor: Studies of the metastatic behavior of cancer suggest that one of the factors influencing the site at which tumor cells lodge is the presence of a special “soil” that favors the survival and growth of these tumor cells. A variety of hormonal and growth factors have been shown to influence the expansion of a metastatic colony. One such factor is evidence that tumor cells and platelets interact to promote metastasis¹. Tumor cells can activate platelets that undergo the release reaction and make available as yet unidentified mediators that promote tumor growth. In some models, the degree…