Extended chemothromboprophylaxis use in colorectal cancer surgery: a literature review

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potentially fatal condition associated with chronic morbidity. Patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery have an especially high rate of VTE postoperatively. This risk continues to be elevated for up to 3 months after discharge, hence arises the question of extended thromboprophylaxis (ETP). The objective of this literature review is to summarize the current literature on ETP post colorectal cancer surgery. The results of five randomized controlled trials (RCT), several meta-analysis and five major guidelines are outlined and examined. The literature overwhelmingly supports the use of ETP in colorectal cancer surgery. The key limitation of the evidence base is the use of objective tests to diagnose VTE which also detect asymptomatic events. However, this surrogate marker has been reliably shown to correlate with symptomatic VTE. In other high-risk populations such as orthopaedic patients, similar research has led to the use of routinely prescribed ETP. There is evidence now that the use of ETP is cost-effective in reducing morbidity and mortality from VTE in colorectal cancer patients. However, despite strong evidence on the benefits of ETP in colorectal cancer surgery, it is not yet a routine clinical practice. Future research is required to determine the optimal duration of chemothromboprophylaxis in different subgroups within colorectal cancer patients such as patients with rectal cancer only or those undergoing minimally invasive surgery.