COMPASS-CAT versus Khorana risk assessment model for predicting venous thromboembolic events in patients with non-small cell lung cancer on active treatment with chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy, the CK-RAM study

Venous and Arterial Thromboembolism in Lung Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Analysis

Background: Patients with lung cancer face an increased incidence of venous (VTE) and arterial (ATE) thromboembolism. Risk factors for thrombosis remain unclear, particularly the impact of the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We sought to compare the incidence of VTE and ATE in lung cancer patients receiving platinum-based therapy versus those receiving ICIs alone or in combination with chemotherapy and to validate the Khorana risk score for predicting VTE in the era of ICIs. Methods: A retrospective single-institution data analysis of 173 patients diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic lung cancer at the Jena University hospital between 2015 and 2021. Results: The study revealed a high incidence of VTE (17.9%) and ATE (5.8%). The VTE risk was higher in patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.09-0.93) than in patients with other histological types. A prior venous event was associated with an increased risk of recurrent VTE (OR 4.46, 95% CI 1.20-16.63). The incidence of thrombosis under first-line platinum-based chemotherapy did not differ from the incidence under ICIs (p = 0.19). There were no differences in the subgroup of patients who received ICIs alone or combined immunochemotherapy (p = 0.43). The Khorana score failed to predict the risk of VTE correctly. Conclusions: We did not find evidence supporting the theory that ICI therapy (alone or combined) increases the risk of thrombotic events. Adenocarcinoma and a prior history of VTE were strongly associated with an increased risk of VTE. Other scores for thrombotic risk assessment in lung cancer patients should be tested in prospective studies.

The impact of COVID-19 on the prognosis of deep vein thrombosis following anticoagulation treatment: a two-year single-center retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been proved as a significant risk factor for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after several waves of pandemic. This study aims to further investigate impact of COVID-19 on prognosis of DVT following anticoagulation treatment.

METHODS

A total of 197 patients with initially detected DVT and meanwhile accomplishing at least 3 months anticoagulation treatment were identified from our hospital between January 2021 and December 2022. DVT characteristics, clinical data, and exposure to COVID-19 were recorded for multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify DVT aggravation related risk factors. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance baseline covariates. Kaplan-Meier curves and Log-Rank test were performed to exhibit distribution of DVT aggravation among different subgroups.

RESULTS

In 2022, patients exhibited higher incidence rates of DVT aggravation compared to those in 2021 (HR:2.311, P = 0.0018). The exposure to COVID-19, increased red blood cell count, increased D-dimer level and reduced prothrombin time were found to be associated with DVT aggravation (P < 0.0001, P = 0.014, P < 0.001, P = 0.024), with only exposure to COVID-19 showing a significant difference between two years (2022:59/102, 57.84%, 2021:7/88, 7.37%, P < 0.001). In PSM-matched cohorts, the risk for DVT aggravation was 3.182 times higher in COVID-19 group compared to the control group (P < 0.0001). Exposure to COVID-19 increased the risk of DVT aggravation among patients who completed three months anticoagulant therapy (HR: 5.667, P < 0.0001), but did not increase incidence rate among patients who completed more than three months anticoagulant therapy (HR:1.198, P = 0.683). For patients with distal DVT, COVID-19 was associated with a significant increased risk of DVT recurrence (HR:4.203, P < 0.0001). Regarding principal diagnoses, incidence rate of DVT aggravation was significantly higher in COVID-19 group compared to the control group (Advanced lung cancer: P = 0.011, surgical history: P = 0.0365, benign lung diseases: P = 0.0418).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study reveals an increased risk of DVT aggravation following COVID-19 during anticoagulation treatment, particularly among patients with distal DVT or those who have completed only three months anticoagulant therapy. Adverse effects of COVID-19 on DVT prognosis were observed across various benign and malignant respiratory diseases. Additionally, extended-term anticoagulant therapy was identified as an effective approach to enhance DVT control among patients with COVID-19.

Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) in Postoperative Lung Cancer Patients: A Novel Perioperative Strategy for Preventing Venous Thromboembolism and Improving Quality of Life

This study aimed to assess the impact of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) intervention in preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) among postoperative lung cancer patients. Conducted from January 2022 to January 2023, the research involved 125 lung cancer patients randomly assigned to either a control group (n = 60) receiving routine care, or an ERAS group (n = 65) which received both routine care and ERAS interventions. The ERAS program comprised a comprehensive series of interventions meticulously implemented throughout the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases. Thrombotic risk assessment using the Caprini Risk Assessment Model (RAM) was conducted preoperatively and on postoperative day 5 (POD 5), with plasma D-dimer levels measured preoperatively, on POD 1, POD 3, and POD 5. Quality of life and patient satisfaction were assessed at discharge using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer Module 13 (QLQ-LC13) and The Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale (NSNS), respectively. The ERAS group demonstrated significantly lower Caprini RAM scores on POD 5 compared to the control group, with lower D-dimer levels on POD 3 and POD 5. The incidence of VTE was lower in the ERAS group (1.54%) compared to the control group (11.67%) during hospitalization. At discharge, the ERAS group showed improved quality of life, with higher satisfaction scores for nursing care and their hospital stay. ERAS nursing interventions effectively mitigate thrombotic risk, improve D-dimer levels, enhance postoperative quality of life, and elevate patient satisfaction among individuals undergoing lung cancer surgery.

Update on Thrombosis Risk in Patients with Cancer: Focus on Novel Anticancer Immunotherapies

Thromboembolic complications, including venous thromboembolism (VTE) and arterial thromboembolism (ATE), increase mortality and morbidity, and delay treatment in patients with cancer. Therefore, an increased understanding of underlying risk profiles, the identification of risk factors and predictive biomarkers, and ultimately the development of specific cardiovascular prevention strategies in patients with cancer is needed. Medical anticancer therapies have undergone a remarkable development in recent years with the advent of targeted and immunotherapeutic treatment options, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs). These developments have important implications for the accompanied risk of thromboembolic events in patients with cancer. First, the increased use of these highly effective therapies renders a growing proportion of patients with cancer at risk of thromboembolic events for a prolonged risk period due to an increase in patient survival despite advanced cancer stages. Second, potential direct cardiovascular toxicity and prothrombotic effect of novel anticancer immunotherapies are a matter of ongoing debate, with emerging reports suggesting a relevant risk of VTE and ATE associated with ICI, and relevant dysregulations of hemostasis in the frequently observed cytokine-release syndrome associated with BiTEs and CAR T-cell therapy. The aim of the present narrative review is to summarize the implications of the emerging use of anticancer immunotherapy for thromboembolic events in patients with cancer, and to provide an overview of available data on the rates and risk factors for VTE and ATE associated with ICI, CAR T-cell therapy, and BiTEs.

Novel Insights in Venous Thromboembolism Risk Assessment Methods in Ambulatory Cancer Patients: From the Guidelines to Clinical Practice

Many cancer patients will experience venous thromboembolism (VTE) at some stage, with the highest rate in the initial period following diagnosis. Novel cancer therapies may further enhance the risk. VTE in a cancer setting is associated with poor prognostic, a decreased quality of life, and high healthcare costs. If thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized cancer patients and perioperative settings is widely accepted in clinical practice and supported by the guidelines, it is not the same situation in ambulatory cancer patient settings. The guidelines do not recommend primary thromboprophylaxis, except in high-risk cases. However, nowadays, risk stratification is still challenging, although many tools have been developed. The Khrorana score remains the most used method, but it has many limits. This narrative review aims to present the current relevant knowledge of VTE risk assessment in ambulatory cancer patients, starting from the guideline recommendations and continuing with the specific risk assessment methods and machine learning models approaches. Biomarkers, genetic, and clinical features were tested alone or in groups. Old and new models used in VTE risk assessment are exposed, underlining their clinical utility. Imaging and biomolecular approaches to VTE screening of outpatients with cancer are also presented, which could help clinical decisions.