Researchers have unveiled a concerning correlation between major cancer surgery and an increased likelihood of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE).
The study is published in JAMA Network Open.
Conducted by Dr Johan Björklund and his team at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, it employed a retrospective observational matched cohort approach to evaluate the one-year risk of VTE following major cancer surgery.
Analysing data from 432,218 patients who underwent surgeries for various cancers, including bladder, breast, colon or rectum, gynaecologic organs, kidney and upper urothelial tract, lung, prostate, or gastroesophageal tract, the researchers compared their findings with those from 4,009,343 cancer-free individuals in the general population.
Their analysis revealed a noteworthy increase in the one-year cumulative risk of pulmonary embolism, a form of VTE, among patients who had undergone cancer surgery compared to their cancer-free counterparts.
The absolute risk differences ranged from 0.57 to 2.69 percentage points depending on the type of cancer.
Of particular concern was the heightened risk immediately post-discharge, with the hazard ratio peaking within the first 30 days after surgery and remaining elevated for 60 to 90 days.
Remarkably, the hazard ratio for pulmonary embolism was 10 to 30 times higher in cancer surgery patients at the 30-day mark, except in cases of breast cancer.
The study’s conclusion highlighted the sustained elevation in the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) beyond the typical postoperative period, urging for tailored prophylactic measures based on individual risk assessments for cancer surgery patients.
These findings underscore the critical need for healthcare providers to diligently evaluate and address the risk of blood clots in individuals undergoing major cancer surgeries, emphasising the importance of comprehensive post-operative care and vigilant monitoring to prevent VTE events.
