New study below [1].
Altered coagulation factors are an early event in PCa. Indeed, the first sign of PCa in some men may be a deep vein thrombosis [DVT.
The study authors wondered if there were coagulation factors associated with aggressive disease. Only fibrinogen & D-dimer were determined to be associated with high-risk disease.
Fibrinogen is the precursor of fibrin. It is harmless until converted to fibrin - the bulk of a clot.
As an acute-phase protein, it becomes elevated when there is inflammation.
D-dimer is a combination of two fragments formed when a fibrin clot is broken down by plasmin. Although a clot may be growing via the accumulation of fibrin, there will be signs of fibrin breakdown too. But the breakdown will be much slower.
Nattokinase is structurally similar to plasmin, but more potent. Human studies show that it can also lower fibrinogen levels.
An elevated D-dimer is a sign that nattokinase should be used imo. By eliminating micro-clots, it may prevent metastasis. And nattokinase can quickly remove big clots, such as DVTs.
-Patrick
[1] full text: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...