Predictors of Venous Thromboembolism and Early Mortality in Lung Cancer
Posted: Tuesday, March 27, 2018
The Khorana risk score may be of value in assessing the risk of early all‐cause mortality along with venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with lung cancer receiving systemic therapy, according to the results of the global prospective CANTARISK study. Gary H. Lyman, MD, MPH, of the Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, and colleagues presented their findings in The Oncologist.
“The results from our study may guide clinicians and patients with lung cancer in shared clinical decision-making as well as assessment for clinical trial eligibility and accrual,” the investigators noted. However, to determine the validity of the risk score in predicting the risk for VTE in the modern era of lung cancer therapy, they added, further study is necessary.
Of the 1,980 patients with lung cancer who were enrolled in the study (from 2011 to 2012), 84% had non–small cell lung cancer. During the first 6 months, 121 patients developed VTE (6.1%). In addition, 472 patients died. Independent predictors for VTE in multivariable Cox regression analysis included female gender, North American geographic region, and the presence of a central venous catheter. Moreover, in addition to the validated VTE risk score, other independent predictors of early mortality included older age, current/former smoker, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance state of at least 2, no prior surgery, and metastatic disease.
