Anticoagulation and Cancer-Associated Venous Thromboembolism in Ambulatory Patients-Are Factor Xa Inhibitors the Next Logical Step?

Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) is the second leading cause of death in ambulatory cancer patients .Cancer patients have an approximate 4-fold greater risk of developing VTE when compared to patients without cancer. The use of chemotherapy in these patients increases VTE risk to approximately 6.5-fold. Roughly 20% of all VTE cases occurring in patients with cancer are primarily within the outpatient setting . The 1-year survival rate is approximately one-third the survival rate in cancer patients without a VTE. Because VTE complicates the course of cancer, thromboprophylaxis in this population could reduce the burden of VTE, and potentially lead to improved health outcomes.

Author(s): Kenneth T Moore*and Maria Langas

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