Screening high-risk cancer patients for VTE: a prospective observational study

The utility of screening for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients is unknown. We evaluated this in a prospective cohort study of cancer patients initiating a new chemotherapy regimen and deemed high-risk (score ≥3) based on a validated Risk Score.

Patients were evaluated with baseline and Q4 (±1) week serial ultrasonography for up to 16 weeks; additionally, computed tomography scans for restaging were also evaluated for VTE.

The study population comprised 35 patients. Pancreatic and gastro-esophageal cancers were the most common diagnoses. Of these, 8 (23%) developed a VTE. This included 5 patients with DVT alone (14%), 1 patient with PE alone (3%) and 2 (6%) with both. Ultrasound examinations identified asymptomatic DVT in 9.3% of patients at baseline; 0% at weeks 4 and 8 and 5.6% at week 12. Restaging CT scans identified asymptomatic PE in one patient at week 6 and in one patient at week 9 with subsequent DVT at week 10.

Screening for asymptomatic VTE has not been previously used as a clinical strategy in ambulatory cancer patients. We report that one-tenth of patients at baseline had occult DVT and in this high-risk population, screening at baseline may be of value.