Overview of Cancer-Associated Thrombosis

Abstract

Ever since the association between cancer and thrombosis was reported in the early 19th century multiple studies have confirmed the relationship between cancer and thrombosis. Cancer patients, especially in the first few months after diagnosis and those with distant metastasis, have an elevated risk for VTE, and conversely, the risk of cancer diagnosis is high within the first 2 years of idiopathic VTE. VTE has an important impact on the prognosis of cancer patients. Thrombosis was the second leading cause of death (9.2%) after the cancer progression (70.9%) itself. The risks of recurrent VTE and bleeding are higher in patients with cancer-associated venous thrombosis than patients with venous thrombosis but without cancer.

Keywords: Anticoagulants, Cancer-associated thrombosis, Cancer costs, Cancer treatment, Coagulation in cancer, Hypercoagulability, Idiopathic VTE, Malignancy, Pulmonary embolism, Risks for VTE, Thrombosis, Trousseau syndrome, Venous thromboembolism, VTE prophylaxis, VTE treatment.