ABSTRACT
The association of cancer and thrombosis was first described by Armand
Trousseau in 1865 (1). Venous thromboembolism (VTE) manifesting in the
forms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) are the
most common thrombotic events in cancer patients. Arterial events such as
stroke or myocardial infarction are also observed, particularly in patients
receiving antiangiogenic agents. Epidemiological and population-based studies
have established that cancer patients have an increased risk of VTE compared
to the general population. Recent evidence indicates that the incidence of cancer-
associated thrombosis has been rising since the last decade (2,3). The risk for
development of VTE varies between different cancer populations depending on
the presence of various risk factors such as the type and stage of underlying
cancer and the use of chemotherapy or antiangiogenic drugs. Cancer-associated
VTE is a considerable burden on health care resources; it impairs patients’
quality of life and may have a negative impact on survival. Cancer patients with
VTE have a twofold or greater increase in mortality compared to cancer patients
without VTE (4,5). In a prospective observational study of cancer patients
receiving chemotherapy, thromboembolism was the second leading cause of
death, after cancer itself, accounting for 9% of all deaths (6).
