Does clinical method mask significant VTE-related mortality and morbidity in malignant disease?

• Published in: British journal of cancer Vol. 100; no. 12; pp. 1837 - 1841
• Main Authors: Maraveyas, A, Johnson, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 16-06-2009; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Anticoagulants; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cancer Research; Cancer therapies; Cardiology. Vascular system; Clinical decision making; Clinical trials; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Drug Resistance; Epidemiology; Humans; Medical research; Medical sciences; mini-review; Minireview; Molecular Medicine; Morbidity; Mortality; Neoplasms - mortality; Oncology; Patients; Thromboembolism; Thromboembolism - mortality; Thrombosis; Tumors; Venous Thrombosis - mortality; United Kingdom > UK; mortality; vascular thromboembolism; Mortality; Cardiovascular disease; Method; Malignant tumor; Thrombosis; Embolism; Morbidity; Vascular disease; Cancerology; Blood vessel; Circulatory system; Thromboembolism; Cancer
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605091

After more than 150 years of a recognised link between cancer and vascular thromboembolic events (VTE), and despite a greatly improved understanding of its pathophysiology, epidemiology and treatment, the management of patients with cancer and VTE is still limited. Limitations can be related to the thromboembolism itself, the underlying cancer, or to the management process. There is significant literature that deals with the first two, but very little regarding the systems we use, or how the inadequacies in documentation, identification and classification of VTE affect the cancer patients themselves. This review aims to raise awareness of this neglected area and stimulate research that may lead to improvements in patient care.