Venous thrombosis in lung cancer compared with other tumors: results from the TESEO-SEOM registry

Cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major adverse prognostic factor with heterogeneous outcomes across tumor types. We aimed to describe the characteristics of lung cancer patients with VTE, compare outcomes across malignancies, and assess their association with complications, progression, and survival.

We analyzed TESEO-SEOM, a prospective multicenter registry including patients with active cancer and VTE. Patients were stratified by tumor site, with lung as reference. Outcomes included recurrent VTE, bleeding, and survival. Analyses were stratified by tumor type and VTE presentation (clinically suspected, symptomatic/asymptomatic incidental). Complications were estimated using competing-risk methods.

Among 3855 patients, the most frequent cancers were gastrointestinal (39.4 %), lung (22.2 %), and breast (10.4 %). Pulmonary embolism predominated (55 %), especially in lung cancer (69.8 %). Overall, 48.9 % of events were clinically suspected and 50.9 % incidental; suspected were more common in lung cancer (53.9 %), whereas incidental diagnoses predominated in gastrointestinal tumors (58.8 %). Complications occurred in 17.6 % (10.2 % bleeding, 7.4 % recurrent VTE). Recurrence was highest in gastrointestinal cancers (11.4 %, Gray's p = 0.022), while bleeding did not differ (p = 0.213). VTE-related mortality was low (1 %), while mixed-cause mortality was highest in lung cancer (17.2 %). Median PFS and OS were shortest in lung cancer (4.5 and 7.7 months, p < 0.0001). Incidental asymptomatic events conferred longer survival, particularly in lung cancer (OS 11.5 vs. 7.3 months for symptomatic incidental and 5.6 for suspected, p < 0.001).

VTE in lung cancer is associated with more severe presentation, higher mixed-cause mortality, and worse survival than in other tumors. Incidental asymptomatic VTE predicts better outcomes, supporting risk stratification by tumor type and presentation.