Prevention and treatment of cancer associated venous thromboembolism - interdisciplinary consensus

Vnitr Lek. 2022 Fall;68(4):221-226.

Abstract

The increasing volume of the data and experience with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACS) in the primary and secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism in oncologic patients (CAVTE) has recently lead to changes in several international guidelines. We reflect these changes within the conditions in Slovak republic. In the primary prevention of CAVTE we recognise oncosurgical patients and nonsurgical patients: hospitalised and out patients. Low molecular weight heparins are still dominant in the primary prevention of CAVTE. Regarding the treatment and the secondary prevention of CAVTE, we recommend always to consider the possibility to use DOACs as they proved to be non inferior to LMWH. However, LMWH should be prefered over DOACs as well as over warfarin (VKA) in all patients who are in a clinically unstable condition with the high risk of bleeding and/or interaction with the systemic treatment. Primarily in the patients with intraluminal tumours of the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary tumours with the high risk of bleeding. As for the lack of data, LMWH are still preferd also in patients with primary tumours and metastatic disease of the central nervous system and in hemato oncology.

Keywords: CAVTE); bleeding; direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC); low molecular weight heparin (LMWH); malignancy; oncological disease; venous thromboembolism (VTE.

MeSH terms

  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Consensus
  • Hemorrhage / chemically induced
  • Hemorrhage / complications
  • Hemorrhage / prevention & control
  • Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms* / complications
  • Venous Thromboembolism* / drug therapy
  • Venous Thromboembolism* / prevention & control
  • Warfarin

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight
  • Warfarin