Is Rivaroxaban Effective in Patients with Cancer and Venous Thromboembolism?

Prospective data from a single-center registry show promise for the direct oral anticoagulant in this clinical context.

Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is the guideline-recommended anticoagulation strategy for patients with cancer and venous thromboembolism (VTE), as warfarin is not as effective in this population. Given the burden of subcutaneous LMWH injections for patients undergoing cancer treatment, Mayo Clinic researchers prospectively followed 296 consecutive patients who received the direct oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban for VTE (deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism): 118 (40%) with active cancer and 178 controls without cancer. The three most common cancer locations were genitourinary (24%), gastrointestinal (20%), and lung (13%).

Compared with the control group, the cancer group was significantly older and more likely to have pulmonary e…

Reviewing Author

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Is Rivaroxaban Effective in Patients with Cancer and Venous Thromboembolism?

Topics

Reviewing Author