Thrombocytosis in patients with lung cancer

The records of 190 patients with a proved diagnosis of lung cancer showed that 60% of the 153 patients in whom platelet counts were performed had thrombocytosis, whereas only 2.6% had thrombocytopenia. Little correlation was found between platelet counts and hemoglobin concentrations. Thromboembolism occurred in 8.9% of the patients during their hospital stay, these patients had slightly higher average hemoglobin values compared with those patients without this complication. The average platelet counts were essentially the same in both groups.