Key result
Survey reveals ~27% of oncologists believe their patients lack VTE risk.
Why the study?
Venous thromboembolism is common and often fatal in patients with cancer, with increased risk during cancer treatment and combined therapies.
Cross-Sectional (n=106)
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Many oncologists underestimate VTE risk in cancer; leaves open whether education improves prophylaxis rates.
Venous thromboembolism is common in patients with cancer and is often the cause of death.1 Patients receiving treatment for cancer are at even greater risk of thromboembolism. Thromboembolism occurs in 5% of patients receiving chemotherapy for early breast carcinoma,2 and up to 17.6% of patients receiving chemotherapy for metastatic breast disease are affected.3 Patients with node-negative breast cancer taking tamoxifen were six times more likely to develop venous thromboembolism.4 Adjuvant use of tamoxifen carries a relative risk of 1.22 compared with no treatment. Combining methods of treatment further increases the risk of thromboembolism. Chemotherapy with tamoxifen increases risk by 3.5 times compared with chemotherapy alone,5 and preoperative radiotherapy for rectal carcinoma doubles the postoperative risk of venous thrombosis.5 Low doses (1 mg) of warfarin …
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Cliona Kirwan (2003) conducted a cross-sectional in Venous thromboembolism in cancer patients (n=106). Oncology practice was evaluated on Proportion of oncologists who thought their patients were not at risk of venous thromboembolism (95% CI 19.8-36.5). A questionnaire survey revealed that 27.4% of oncologists thought their patients were not at risk of venous thromboembolism, and 17.9% never used prophylaxis.
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