title: [Venous thromboembolism and cancer].
abstract: Incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is high in patients with cancer and varies with the type, the stage and the histologic type of the cancer but also with some anticancer therapies and patient related risk factors. Therapeutic trials on long-term prophylaxis have not provided convincing results. In patients with established VTE, the risk of recurrence and bleeding is high. Although prolonged treatment with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is more efficient than vitamin K antagonists in patients with VTE and cancer, it is already associated with a risk of recurrence which is much higher than in non-cancer patients. The nature of the treatment to be administered after the initial six months, which is often required in this context and the treatment of recurrent VTE during anticoagulant treatment are still debated. Some long-standing data suggest that LMWH could play an adjuvant role as specific anticancer treatment. These data have still not been confirmed in clinical trials but several studies in different cancer types are ongoing.
authors.affiliation: Université Paris-Descartes, Sorbonne Paris-Cité, 75006 Paris, France; Service de pneumologie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, AP-HP, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France. Electronic address: guy.meyer@egp.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012008:Recurrence; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents
keywords: Cancer bronchique; Embolie pulmonaire; Héparine de bas poids moléculaire; Lung cancer; Maladie veineuse thromboembolique; Prophylaxie; Prophylaxis; Pulmonary embolism; Thrombose; Thrombosis; Venous thromboembolism