title: Venous Thromboembolism in Patients Diagnosed With Lung Cancer.
abstract: Considering the high prevalence of lung cancer, our purpose was to summarize the existing literature to identify the several factors that contribute to the increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with lung cancer and to analyze the current recommendations for thromboprophylaxis and treatment of VTE in those patients.
  
  
  
  We searched the Medline and EMBASE databases from February 1985 to February 2014 to identify retrospective and prospective randomized controlled studies that investigate one or more risk factors for VTEs in patients with lung cancer.
  
  
  
  A VTE is a major complication for patients diagnosed with lung cancer. The risk factors for VTE events in patients with lung cancer consist of cancer-related (histological type and stage of cancer), treatment-related (surgery, chemotherapy, angiogenic agents, and supportive care agents), and patient-related factors (comorbidities, immobility, performance status, and prior thrombosis). Low-molecular-weight heparins are recommended for long-term treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis. Duration of anticoagulant therapy beyond 6 months should be based on individual clinical evaluation. Thromboprophylaxis for patients with lung cancer during hospitalization and immediate postoperative period is well established.
  
  
  
  Efforts to assess thrombotic risk in patients with lung cancer may improve therapeutic and preventive strategies in the future, with final goal to minimize the burden and consequences of thrombotic events in patients with lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit GPP, Sotiria General Hospital Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salla
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit GPP, Sotiria General Hospital Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece edimakakos@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: Evangelos P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Dimakakos
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit GPP, Sotiria General Hospital Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsagkouli
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit GPP, Sotiria General Hospital Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giozos
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit GPP, Sotiria General Hospital Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Charpidou
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit GPP, Sotiria General Hospital Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kainis
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit GPP, Sotiria General Hospital Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Syrigos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants
keywords: anticoagulant; cancer; low-molecular-weight heparin; lung; venous thromboembolism