Molecular Analysis of Thrombocytopenia and Cancer (MATAC): Investigating Antigenic Mimicry Between Platelets and Tumor Cells in Patients With Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) Associated With Cancer

The association between hematologic malignancies and ITP is well described, but this link is much less clear with solid cancers. In cases of ITP associated with cancers, specific cancer treatment can lead to remission or even cure of ITP. Thus, our hypothesis was that chronic expression of GPIIB by tumor cells could have initiated an autoimmune loop against GPIIB, leading to the onset and perpetuation of ITP.