In addition, a recent medline search yielded hundreds of peer-reviewed articles linking abnormal platelet aggregation with various cancers, endogenous depression, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders. This article will focus on cancer. It is clear from recent abstracts that abnormal platelet aggregation plays a central role in the metastasis of many cancers to remote sites. This is often the most devastating and hard to control factor in cancer treatment strategies. In addition, abnormal platelets play a role in cancer initiation, proliferation and recurrence, as well.
Many tumors actually affect platelet function to serve their own needs.
In modern China since the fifties, much scientific research has been done in the area of chronic illness, including cancer. The Chinese attribute diverse serious illnesses to this somewhat nebulous category, which was a traditionally understood to refer to a thickening, congealing and possible stoppage of the blood. Of course, modern work with platelets reveals that many cancer patients have what is essentially thick, clotted, viscous, i.e. stagnant blood. The traditional view of cancer in Chinese medicine is that tumors only arise when the flow of blood becomes stagnant. The congruency of both the modern and traditional views suggests a central role to platelets in tumorigenesis.