Incidence, outcome and risk stratification tools for venous thromboembolism in advanced pancreatic cancer - A retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is frequent in advanced pancreatic cancer (APC). Recent studies demonstrated that the Khorana score - an established risk stratification tool for VTE in cancer - performs poorly in identifying pancreatic cancer patients at high risk for VTE.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study in order to define incidence, treatment and outcome of VTE as well as the performance of VTE risk stratification tools (Khorana score, CONKO score and aPTT ratio) in a "real life" clinical cohort of APC patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

One hundred and seventy-two eligible APC patients from our comprehensive cancer center were identified. VTE after start of palliative chemotherapy was diagnosed in 71 patients (41.3%). Most VTE events were asymptomatic (n=50, 29.1%) with only 21 symptomatic events (12.2%). On multivariate analysis - including age, performance status and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) - symptomatic VTE was an independent risk factor for death (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.05-2.60, p<0.05). Khorana score, CONKO score and aPTT ratio alone were not able to predict the risk for symptomatic VTE. High risk patients could only be identified by using a combination of either Khorana or CONKO score with aPTT ratio (30% vs. 10% symptomatic VTE events in high vs. low risk patients, p<0.05). The combination of Khorana or CONKO score with aPTT thus may represent a novel risk stratification tool for symptomatic VTE in APC and should further be validated within prospective clinical trials.

Pancreatic cancer and thromboembolic disease, 150 years after Trousseau

The connection between pancreatic cancer and venous thrombosis has been discussed for almost 150 years. The exact pathophysiological mechanisms are still partly understood, but it is known that pancreatic cancer induces a prothrombotic and hypercoagulable state and genetic events involved in neoplastic transformation (e.g., KRAS, c-MET, p53), procoagulant factors [e.g., tissue factor (TF), platelet factor 4 (PF4), plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1)], mucin production (e.g., through activation of P- and L-selectin) and pro-inflammatory factors [e.g., cytokines, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)] may be implicated. Also pancreatitis, both acute and chronic, is associated with increased risk of venous thrombosis, but in this circumstance a direct inflammatory process may be more important. This article discusses the incidence, treatment and outcome of venous thromboembolism (VTE) complicating pancreatic disease, with special emphasis on new knowledge obtained during the last fifteen years.

Metastatic HPV-related cervical adenocarcinomas presenting with thromboembolic events (Trousseau Syndrome): clinicopathologic characteristics of 2 cases

Two cases of systemic thromboembolism (Trousseau syndrome) associated with metastatic human papillomavirus (HPV)-related endocervical adenocarcinomas are reported. The first patient, age 36, presented with bilateral lower extremity deep vein thromboses, pulmonary embolism, and supraclavicular and cervical lymphadenopathy. Lymph node biopsy revealed metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma with focal signet ring cell differentiation. Imaging studies demonstrated metastatic disease without a defined primary site. Acute renal and respiratory failure developed and the patient expired shortly after initiation of chemotherapy, 7 weeks after presentation. Autopsy examination revealed widespread metastatic adenocarcinoma with a 2 cm cervical adenocarcinoma. The second patient, age 43, presented with left internal jugular vein thrombosis, acute thrombophlebitis, and bilateral axillary lymphadenopathy. She developed progressive venous thrombosis despite anticoagulation. Imaging studies demonstrated widespread lymphadenopathy and an adnexal mass. Diagnostic laparoscopy with biopsies and left oophorectomy revealed metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma with signet ring cell differentiation involving peritoneum, ovary, cervix, and bladder without a defined primary site. Progressive thromboembolic disease with acute renal failure and multiple cerebral infarcts developed and the patient expired shortly after initiation of chemotherapy, 2 months after presentation. No autopsy was performed. HPV DNA was detected by in situ hybridization in the lymph node metastasis in the first case and in the cervical and ovarian tumor specimens in the second case. High-risk HPV-related endocervical adenocarcinomas occasionally exhibit signet ring cell differentiation and can present with Trousseau syndrome. These features more commonly suggest metastatic adenocarcinoma of upper gastrointestinal tract origin but the presence of HPV DNA within the tumors establishes them as cervical in origin.