Assessing risk and mortality of venous thromboembolism in pancreatic cancer patients.

BACKGROUND Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with cancer. Cancer patient with thromboembolism have poorer prognosis. This study assessed the risk and mortality in pancreatic cancer patients who develop VTE. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective chart review was performed of 201 patients with pancreatic cancer. RESULTS VTE was observed in 58 (28.9%) patients, 37/58 had deep vein thrombosis (DVT), 11/58 pulmonary embolism (PE) and 10/58 had both. Twenty-six out of 107 patients with tumor of head of the pancreas developed VTE (24%), compared to half of the patients with body of the pancreas involvement (11-22). Stage IV was defined in 99 patients, 39/99 had VTE (39%). Median survival time was 14.95 months for patients without VTE compared to 13.04 months with VTE. CONCLUSION Patients with body of the pancreas and stage IV tumors had increased risk of developing VTE. There was no survival difference between patients with VTE compared to those without.