Abstract
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication of cancer occurring in up to
one-fifth of cancer patients. The risk of VTE, which includes deep venous thrombosis
(DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is increased up to seven-fold in patients with
cancer. While the indications and contraindications to treatment for VTE patients
with cancer parallel to those patients without cancer, the treatment of VTE is challenging
for cancer patients who are three-fold more likely to have VTE recurrence than patients
without cancer and who are also at increased risk of bleeding. While anticoagulant
therapy is recommended for most cancer patients with VTE, some patients may benefit
from alternative interventions, such as thrombolysis, thromboembolectomy, or placement
of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. Recent data support the use of direct oral
anticoagulants (DOACs) for treatment of cancer-associated VTE in select cancer patients
and for primary prevention of thromboembolism in high-risk cancer patients. Individualized
decision-making, keeping in consideration the patient's risk for thrombotic and bleeding
events is essential.
Keywords
cancer-associated venous thromboembolism - thrombosis - anticoagulation
