Risk assessment for thrombosis in cancer

Patients with active malignancy are well-known to be at higher risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, the risk of VTE varies considerably between patients and in the same patient over the natural history of their malignancy. Multiple clinical risk factors including primary site of cancer, use of systemic therapy including novel targeted agents, surgery, and hospitalization are known to increase the risk of VTE. Multiple candidate biomarkers including tissue factor, D-dimer, and soluble P-selectin have been identified. However, risk cannot be reliably predicted based on single risk factors or biomarkers. A risk assessment score has been validated in multiple populations and can identify patients at high risk for cancer-associated VTE. This review discusses the risk factors, predictive biomarkers, and new guidelines, which recommend risk assessment of VTE for all cancer patients. Potential applications of risk assessment, including targeted thromboprophylaxis, are also identified in this review.