Role of Tissue Factor in Cancer

Tissue factor (TF) is the primary initiator of blood coagulation and plays a central role in hemostasis and the maintenance of vascular integrity after injury. In addition to its procoagulant activity, TF modulates cellular processes such as growth, migration and adhesion. TF mediates cell signaling directly through its cytoplasmic domain, or indirectly by activating cell surface receptors as a consequence of activation of the coagulation cascade. TF procoagulant and signaling functions play an important role in cancer biology, mediating tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, and cancer-associated intravascular thrombosis. This review discusses the role TF plays in cancer biology.