Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)

What is disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)?

When an area of your body is bleeding and needs to stop, platelets in your blood stick to the area and form blood clots. In disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), your body makes clots when they are not needed. This uses up your body’s clotting factors (the parts of blood that make a clot), which causes bleeding. These clots can also block blood flow to organs, leading to organ failure.

DIC is an oncologic emergency, which is a serious health problem caused by the cancer itself or its treatment. Oncologic emergencies need to be treated right away.

What causes DIC?

Causes of DIC are:

• Cancer.
• Injury.
• Inflammation (swelling).
• Immune reactions.
• Infection.

What are the symptoms of DIC?

Symptoms may be:

• Bruising more than normal and bleeding (from gums, nose, and rectum or vagina).
• Leg swelling, pain, redness, or warmth.
• Petechiae (red dots on the surface of your skin).
• Chest pain.

How is DIC diagnosed?

DIC is diagnosed using blood tests. Your CBC (complete blood count), platelet count, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), fibrin degradation product, d-dimer, and serum fibrinogen levels will be checked.

How is it treated?

Treatment depends on what is causing the DIC. The treatment focuses on supportive care to help with the bleeding, such as transfusions of platelets, clotting factors, and cryoprecipitate replacement. This supportive care is given at the same time as treatment for the cancer if that is the cause of DIC.

When should I call my care team?

If you have any symptoms of DIC, like abnormal bleeding or bruising, call your care team right away. If you are bleeding and unable to stop it, call 911 right away.