THROMBOEMBOLISM AND CANCER

Many anomalies in primary haemostasis, coagulation and fibrinolysis ha ve been described which favour thrombosis in cancer patients. Cancer i s often associated with other risk factors for thromboembolism which e xplain much of the increased frequency of thrombosis in these patients . Thromboembolism may precede cancer and sometimes is the inaugural ma nifestation leading to the diagnosis of cancer. Cancer occurs more fre quently in patients with idiopathic recurrent venous thrombosis than i n those with thrombosis due to other risk factors for thromboembolism. The results of antivitamin K therapy are disappointing: in retrospect ive series, recurrent thromboembolism occurred in 9% of the treated pa tients and severe haemorrhage in 27%. New therapies should be assessed in cancer patients with thromboembolism.