Low incidence of cancer after venous thromboembolism: An update from the French OPTIMEV Cohort

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have shown lower rates of cancer following venous thromboembolism (VTE) than previously described.

OBJECTIVES

To reassess the risk of cancer in patients with clinical symptoms of VTE with or without confirmed VTE.

PATIENTS

We used data from OPTIMEV, a French prospective multicenter observational study of patients presenting to hospital and community vascular medicine specialists with suspected VTE. Patients with confirmed VTE (1565) and matched controls without VTE (1847) were followed for 3 years (2006-2009). The main outcome was occurrence of cancer at 3 years, and death was a censoring event.

RESULTS

A total of 5.0% [4.0-6.3] of patients with VTE and 3.8% [3.0-4.9] without VTE developed cancer during follow-up. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 1.2 [0.9-1.8] for patients with confirmed VTE (P=0.22). The overall standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was 1.4 [1.1-1.6] for our population, VTE+ and VTE-, compared with the general population, statistically significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

We found a lower occurrence of cancer after VTE than previously described, with no significant difference between patients whether VTE was confirmed or not. Our results (low incidence and no difference between patients VTE+ or VTE-) provide no argument in favor of an extensive screening for cancer in case of VTE.

Impact of anatomical location of lower limb venous thrombus on the risk of subsequent cancer

After a proximal deep-vein thrombosis (P-DVT), the risk of diagnosis of a previously unsuspected cancer is high. Isolated distal DVT (iD-DVT; i.e. infra-popliteal DVT without pulmonary embolism [PE]) and isolated superficial-vein thrombosis (iSVT; i.e. without concomitant DVT and PE) are at least as frequent as P-DVT but their association with subsequent cancer is uncertain. We exploited data from the OPTIMEV prospective, observational, multicentre study to i) compare the risk of subsequent cancer three years after a first objectively confirmed iSVT, iD-DVT and iP-DVT in patients without a prior history of cancer or of venous thromboembolism, ii) assess predictors of subsequent cancer in cases of iD-DVT. The overall cumulative rates of cancer among the 304 patients with iSVT, 536 patients with iD-DVT, and 327 patients with iP-DVT were similar (3.4% 95% confidence interval [1.8-6.2], 3.9% [2.5-5.9] and 3.9% [2.3-6.8], respectively), regardless of whether the index venous thromboembolic event was unprovoked or associated with a major transient risk factor. Neither anatomical (muscular vs deep-calf DVT) nor ultrasound scan characteristics (number of thrombosed veins, clot diameter under compression) seemed strongly associated with the risk of cancer in cases of iD-DVT. In patients managed in routine practice, all the different clinical expressions of lower limb venous thromboembolism are associated with a similar risk of subsequent cancer. From a clinical practice point of view, this suggests that cancer screening, without discussing the necessity, or not, of such screening, should not differ between a deep-proximal, deep-distal or superficial location of thrombosis.

[Temporary vena caval filters: report on cohort of 72 patients in Grenoble, France]

Patients with a contra-indication for anticoagulation can benefit from temporary vena caval filters for protection against pulmonary embolism or recurrence. The filter can be removed secondarily, once the contra-indication is overcome, enabling better long-term outcome by reducing the risk of thrombotic and mechanic complications inherent in these devices. However, it has been shown in several studies that effective withdrawal rates were low and could be improved by the establishment of protocols and registries. We report a retrospective study of withdrawal in 72 patients in whom an ALN® vena caval filter was implanted at the Grenoble University Hospital over a period of three years with an intention for secondary retrieval. Seventy percent of the indications were related to the coexistence of thrombotic and hemorrhagic conditions. Fifty-five percent of filters were removed, the remaining 45% shared involved patients who died before retrieval (11%), those lost to follow-up (4%), technical failure of retrieval (6%), withdrawal technically unfeasible (3%), retrieval refused by patients (6%) and medical indications for continuing filtration (15%). Despite an effective follow-up of these patients and 91% success rate of withdrawal, nearly one out of two filters remains in place. A long-term follow-up of these patients is needed to learn more about the outcome of these filters.