Thrombosis in patients with malignancy

Abstract

Thrombosis traditionally considered as a complication of cardiovascular disease, however, this problem until recently was rarely taken into account in the presence of cancer. Although the association between cancer and thrombosis has been known almost 150 years ago, awareness of the impact of thrombotic complications have increased only now. Cancer is an independent major risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE), which is the leading cause of death of cancer patient. The incidence of VTE is steadily increasing in these patients. Thrombotic events have a significant impact on the quality of life of patients, and are associated with worsening of their short-term and long-term survival. The objective of this review is to summarize modern views on pathophysiology, as well as to outline new approaches to risk assessment, prevention and treatment of thrombosis in cancer patients.