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CC BY 4.0 · TH Open 2025; 09: a26359296
DOI: 10.1055/a-2635-9296
Original Article

Patient's Awareness of Cancer-Associated Thrombosis: A Canadian Nationwide Survey

Authors

  • Ana C. Pizzarossa

    1   Hemostasis and Thrombosis Unit, Hospital de Clínicas “Dr Manuel Quintela,” Montevideo, Uruguay
    2   Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa at the Ottawa Hospital and The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ontario, Canada

  • Andrea Penaloza

    2   Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa at the Ottawa Hospital and The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ontario, Canada
    3   Emergency Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium

  • Kristina Vrotniakaite-Bajerciene

    2   Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa at the Ottawa Hospital and The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ontario, Canada
    4   Department of Hematology and Central Hematology Laboratory, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

  • Rufaro Chitsike

    5   Division of Medicine (Hematology), Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

  • Vicky Tagalakis

    6   Department of Medicine, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada

  • Susan Calverley

    7   Thrombosis Canada, Ontario, Canada

  • Marc Carrier

    2   Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa at the Ottawa Hospital and The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ontario, Canada

Funding This study was funded by Thrombosis Canada.
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Abstract

Background

Approximately 20% of patients with cancer will have cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (CAT), which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite its clinical importance, CAT awareness in cancer patients and caregivers remains low. We sought to assess the patients' knowledge of CAT through a national survey.

Materials and Methods

A survey assessing knowledge of different aspects of CAT was developed by a steering committee including four clinicians with expertise in CAT and a patient partner with lived experience. Survey dissemination among patients with cancer occurred through the Environics network, the Thrombosis Canada member network, the Thrombosis Canada social media platforms, and was advertised through Instagram and Facebook, and the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network newsletter.

Results

Out of the 312 patients with cancer or survivors who responded to the survey, 179 (57.4%) were female, and 118 (37.8%) were over 65 years old. Overall, 119 patients (38.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 37.7–49.8%) reported having no knowledge of CAT. Only 84 (26.9%, 95% CI: 22.1–32.2%) and 94 (30.1%, 95% CI: 25.1–35.6%) patients reported receiving education about their underlying risk of CAT or education about signs and symptoms of venous thromboembolism, respectively. A total of 66 (21%, 95% CI: 16.8–26.1%) patients reported being informed by a health care professional about considering thromboprophylaxis. Patients were interested in learning more about the risk of CAT, its associated risk factors, and the benefits and potential side effects of thromboprophylaxis.

Conclusion

Many patients with cancer lack awareness or knowledge of CAT. Our results highlight ongoing education and awareness of the CAT burden.

Keywords

venous thrombosis - venous thromboembolism - pulmonary embolism - neoplasias - anticoagulants

Supplementary Material



Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 21. April 2025

Angenommen: 13. Juni 2025

Accepted Manuscript online:
16. Juni 2025

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
07. Juli 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

Bibliographical Record
Ana C. Pizzarossa, Andrea Penaloza, Kristina Vrotniakaite-Bajerciene, Rufaro Chitsike, Vicky Tagalakis, Susan Calverley, Marc Carrier. Patient's Awareness of Cancer-Associated Thrombosis: A Canadian Nationwide Survey. TH Open 2025; 09: a26359296.
DOI: 10.1055/a-2635-9296
 

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