title: Venous thromboembolism and cancer risk among elderly adults in the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have evaluated cancer risk following venous thromboembolism (VTE). Both VTE and cancer disproportionately affect older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare data, we evaluated 1.2 million cancer cases and 200,000 controls (66-99 years old, 1992-2005). VTEs occurring before selection were identified using Medicare claims. Logistic regression was used to estimate ORs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VTE was present in 2.5% of cases and 2.2% of controls. VTE was associated with risk of cancers of the lung [OR = 1.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12-1.23], stomach (OR = 1.19; 95% CI, 1.09-1.30), small intestine (OR = 1.42; 95% CI, 1.17-1.71), colon (OR = 1.25; 95% CI, 1.18-1.31), gallbladder (OR = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.16-1.67), pancreas (OR = 1.53; 95% CI, 1.43-1.64), soft tissue (OR = 1.43; 95% CI, 1.21-1.68), ovary (OR = 1.35; 95% CI, 1.22-1.50), and kidney/renal pelvis (OR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.23-1.46), and melanoma (OR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.08-1.27), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (OR = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.20- 1.35), myeloma (OR = 1.48; 95% CI, 1.35-1.63), and acute myeloid leukemia (OR = 1.35; 95% CI, 1.19-1.54). Strongest risks were observed within 1 year of VTE diagnosis, but risks were elevated more than 6 years after VTE for colon cancer (OR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.12-1.37), pancreatic cancer (OR = 1.33; 95% CI, 1.15-1.54), and myeloma (OR = 1.35; 95% CI, 1.10-1.66). Few differences in risk were observed by VTE subtype. Cancers of the lung, stomach, and pancreas were more likely to have distant metastases within one year after VTE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among elderly adults, cancer risk is elevated following VTE diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term associations with cancer are likely driven by enhanced screening following VTE and reverse causation. While obesity, other comorbidities, and smoking cannot be excluded as explanations, longer-term elevations for select cancers suggest that some VTEs may be caused by cancer precursors.
authors.affiliation: Authors' Affiliation: Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Morgan A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Engels
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis