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4CPS-330 Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in oncology: improving outcomes

ejhpharm · 2026-03-18 · canonical JSON source

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Background and Importance The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), in cancer patients is approximately 2-6 times higher than in the general population. This risk is multifactorial and varies with tumour location and type, administered therapy, and patient characteristics.Chemotherapy increases this risk by 6,5 times, having a significant impact on quality of life, disease prognosis, and the ability to adhere to the treatment plan. To reduce the incidence of VTE and as part of the responsibility of the Hospital Pharmacist to contribute to achieving optimal health outcomes, the use of the Khorana Risk Score (KRS) has been implemented for all patients with gastric or pancreatic cancer undergoing chemotherapy in our institution.Aim and Objectives Pharmacist-led evaluation and analysis of VTE risk in patients with gastric or pancreatic cancer using the KRS;Optimisation of prophylactic VTE therapy for high-risk oncological patients.Material and Methods Were included patients with stomach or pancreatic cancer undergoing treatment from Feb. 2022 to Jan. 2025 in the oncology day hospital.The VTE was assessed using the KRS. For patients with a KRS ≥3, it was verified through the clinical process whether they were or were not under prophylactic therapy for VTE.In patients with an indication and without therapy, the physician was contacted to initiate therapy, provided there were no clinical contraindications.Results 105 patients were enrolled: 64 males and 41 females, with a mean age of 68 years, comprising 76 with gastric cancer and 29 with pancreatic cancer.Among the 105 patients, 48 had a KRS ≥ 3, yet only 17 of these were undergoing prophylactic anticoagulant or lacked an indication for it.27 pharmaceutical interventions were implemented with the aim of thromboprophylaxis.Conclusion and Relevance It is recommended to assess the risk of VTE in all cancer patients before starting treatment and periodically throughout.The therapeutic criteria for VTE prophylaxis and its duration in cancer patients are needs to be consensual, and models need to be developed, and independently validated.It is crucial to raise awareness among the entire multidistiplinary team about this issue and to establish a uniform and structured record of VTE risk assessment within the institution, aiming to promote a culture of patient safety.Conflict of Interest No conflict of interest