title: Extended venous thromboembolism prophylaxis for high-risk patients undergoing surgery for malignancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In surgical patients with known malignancy, the odds ratio for an episode of a venous thromboembolism is approximately 6.5 compared to a group of patients without malignancy undergoing the same procedure [Heit et al.: Arch Intern Med 2000;160:809-815].
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a case of a 46-year-old Caucasian male with a history of adenocarcinoma of the rectum. The patient received neoadjuvant treatment prior to low anterior resection with diverting colostomy. He received short-term prophylaxis for venous thrombosis, but unfortunately developed a blood clot in a lower extremity several weeks after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a well-defined role in carefully selected patients for the use of extended prophylaxis to prevent venous thromboembolic complications following cancer surgery.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Eastern Regional Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa., USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perre
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Markman