Management of Venous Thromboembolism in Outpatients with Cancer

Abstract

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), constitutes a matter of great concern in cancer patients due to its capacity of increasing morbimortality in such population. It is more common than expected and can occur at any time during the history of cancer, sometimes being the first presenting manifestation of the disease. VTE can complicate chemotherapy treatments, surgeries, and hospitalizations, thus further increasing morbidity and mortality. VTE is the second leading cause of death in cancer patients. An optimal anticoagulation strategy is necessary for patients with cancer associated thrombosis (CAT) with the goals of reducing recurrent thrombosis and minimizing bleeding risk. Although low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) are universally accepted, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have shown to significantly lower recurrent VTE risk and became in the last years an emerging new option for this condition.