Prevention and treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis

Cancer is a hypercoagulable state with an associated increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) that is further amplified in individuals who undergo chemotherapy. Compared with patients having cancer alone or VTE alone, patients who develop cancer-associated VTE have a significantly poorer prognosis. The risks of recurrent VTE despite appropriate anticoagulation therapy and of bleeding are also higher in patients with cancer than in those without. For those reasons, the prevention and appropriate management of cancer-associated thrombosis is of paramount importance. Although low-molecular-weight heparin has been the standard of care for the prevention and treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis, direct oral anticoagulants are increasingly being adopted as an effective and safe alternative.