An expanding role for antithrombotic therapy in cancer patients.
Thromboembolic disease has a negative impact on outcome in the cancer patient. Venous thromboembolism appears to be a more aggressive disease in patients with cancer who present with both a greater thrombus burden and more pronounced derangements of coagulation parameters with non-cancer patients with thrombosis. Restrospective analyses suggest that treatment of venous thromboembolism in cancer patients with low-molecular-weight heparin is associated with additional benefits in terms of their survival. The mechanism for this effect is unclear but may be attributed to a reduced incidence of recurrent thrombosis and fatal pulmonary embolism in those patients with underlying thrombosis. To investigate and potential of low-molecular-weight heparin to prolong survival in cancer patients without underlying thrombosis, a prospective trial (FAMOUS) has evaluated the effect of treatment with the low-molecular-weight heparin dalteparin for 1 year terms of survival of patients with advanced cancer and no underlying thrombosis.
Kakkar
Ajay K
AK
Department of Surgical Oncology and Technology, Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, W12 0NN, London, UK. akkakkar@tri-london.ac.uk <akkakkar@tri-london.ac.uk>
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D016019:Survival Analysis; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight