Risk assessment and prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in non-surgical patients: cancer as a risk factor.

It is well documented that cancer patients undergoing surgery are at a sufficiently high risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) to justify the routine use of prophylactic anticoagulant therapy. However, despite many studies showing an increased incidence of VTE associated with the use of chemotherapy in patients with breast carcinoma and with the use of indwelling venous access catheters in patients with various kinds of cancer, thromboprophylactic strategies are not yet widely used. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel