Differences in the outcome of cancer-associated thrombosis depending on cancer type.

Abstract

The outcome of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with cancer is worse than in patient without cancer, with higher risk of recurrences, bleeding and death. However, these risks appear to vary depending on the cancer type. While in some tumors the risk of recurrences outweighs the risk of bleeding, in others the risk of major bleeding during the anticoagulation markedly exceeds the risk of a recurrent event. Balancing these risks could be helpful to tailor the management of cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) and improve outcomes. In this article, published data from recent randomized clinical trials (RCT) as well as from some large registries that have reported separated outcomes of CAT depending on cancer type were reviewed. A careful balance of the risk of recurrences and major bleeding events could provide useful insights for clinicians for individualizing treatment strategies in order to improve the outcomes of CAT, as well as for the design of future clinical trials.