chemotherapy
Photo by Rhoda Baer
Thousands of annual deaths among cancer patients in England and Wales may be caused by venous thromboembolism (VTE), according to a report from the All-Party Parliamentary Thrombosis Group (APPTG).
The report showed that, of the patients who died of cancer from 2012 through 2014, about 2.6% also had VTE listed on their death certificate as a cause of death.
This percentage corresponds to nearly 4000 deaths annually.
The report also indicated that many hospitals are not taking appropriate action to reduce the risk of VTE in cancer patients.
The APPTG conducted this research to determine awareness about VTE risk in cancer patients within the National Health Service (NHS). So the group requested data from 150 NHS hospitals in England and 7 in Wales.
The researchers received responses from 92 hospitals—28 in North England, 21 in South England, 25 in the Midlands and East England, 13 in London, and 5 in Wales. The responses included data spanning the period from 2012 through 2014.
On average, 7% of cancer patients in England and Wales were also diagnosed with VTE during the 3-year period.
The incidence of VTE in cancer patients varied by region. For example, it was 2% in the South of England and 3.6% in Wales.
The yearly incidences of cancer and VTE among all hospitals studied were as follows:
| Patients diagnosed with cancer and VTE in England and Wales | ||
| Year | Patients treated
for cancer |
Cancer patients
diagnosed with VTE |
| 2014 | 363,692 | 6301 (1.7%) |
| 2013 | 353,614 | 6506 (1.8%) |
| 2012 | 339,125 | 5716 (1.7%) |
Mortality rates among these patients were as follows:
| Mortality rates involving cancer and VTE in England and Wales | ||
| Year | Cancer deaths | Cancer deaths where VTE
was also listed as cause of death |
| 2014 | 159,187 | 4088 (2.6%) |
| 2013 | 157,848 | 4028 (2.6%) |
| 2012 | 157,293 | 3848 (2.5%) |
The researchers also found that only 41% of the hospitals studied have a dedicated policy or pathway for the management of suspected VTE in patients receiving chemotherapy.
Slightly less than half of the hospitals provide patients with both written and verbal information about the risk of developing VTE during chemotherapy, what symptoms to look out for, and what action patients should take if they suspect a VTE.
“It is a tragedy that, in today’s NHS, a patient can beat their cancer, only to then die of a clot,” said Andrew Gwynne, chair of the APPTG.
“We hope that by raising awareness of this overlooked issue, we can drive up patient safety and provide better outcomes for patients.”
