Risk factors associated with venous thromboembolism in breast cancer: a narrative review

To date, there is no universally acceptable risk assessment tool in clinical practice that accurately estimates the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with breast cancer, despite the large number of published studies. Thus, the aim of this narrative review was to summarize the most relevant risk factors for VTE in these patients.

We searched Ovid Embase and Ovid MEDLINE, from inception to March 26, 2021, to identify all articles that focused on breast cancer and multiple thromboembolic diseases. We also searched the references section of relevant articles to identify studies. We did not include case reports or case series with small sample size, N < 20.

VTE in patients with breast cancer was strongly associated with patient-, tumor-, and non-tumor-related risk factors, such as age, disease stage, central catheter placement, and chemotherapy and tamoxifen use, especially within 2 years of breast cancer diagnosis. CDK inhibitors are emerging factors that may also increase the risk of VTE.

The risk of VTE in patients with breast cancer depends on various patient-, tumor-, and non-tumor-related risk factors. Identifying these risk factors during breast cancer diagnosis and treatment is essential in developing a practical dynamic predictive tool that can help individualize strategies to prevent VTE.