In this afternoon scientific session, Dr. Deborah Rubens will present findings from a study that evaluated the benefits of screening for thrombosis in a cohort of asymptomatic cancer patients starting outpatient chemotherapy.
Rubens' team evaluated 35 patients with a baseline ultrasound and a follow-up exam every four weeks for up to 16 weeks. In addition, some patients had CT scans for chemotherapy restaging purposes, and these exams were evaluated for venous thromboembolism. Patients were assessed for risk using a risk model developed by study co-author Dr. Alok Khorana.
Of the 35 patients, eight (23%) had venous thromboembolism, five (14%) had deep vein thrombosis, one (3%) had pulmonary embolism, and two (6%) had both deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Of the five patients who had deep vein thrombosis, two had clots in their calf, two had calf and thigh clots, and one had an upper extremity clot.
For patients with a high risk score for venous thromboembolism, clinicians should consider screening ultrasound for asymptomatic clots, especially in the calf, the researchers concluded.
