Haemorrhage is more common in patients with cancer than previously thought, according to a new study by Austrian researchers.
Bleeding is associated with poor prognosis and increased risk of death and needs improved awareness, according to the team from MedUni Vienna.
Dr Cornelia Englisch, first author of the study, said: “In general, the risk of bleeding in patients with cancer receiving anticoagulation therapy is higher than in the general population. However, very little is known about the risk of bleeding in cancer patients without anticoagulation.”
To fill this gap in knowledge, the researchers carried out a study involving 791 patients with a range of cancers, observed over an average period of 19 months.
Among 139 of the patients, there were 194 bleeding events recorded. 42 of these events were tumour-related, 64 gastrointestinal and seven intracerebral.
When patients did not receive anticoagulation, low levels of albumin and haemoglobin were linked to increased risk of bleeding. Tumours in the head and neck area also had a high risk of being associated with bleeding incidents.
The team say their study highlights the relevance of bleeding as a risk to cancer patients that deserves more attention and research. Their findings have been reported in the journal Blood.
Dr Englisch said “We were also able to identify a specific type of haemorrhage that has not previously been considered in clinical research, although it accounts for a significant proportion, almost a third. We called it tumour bleeding because it originates from the tumour itself.”
Source:
Englisch C, Moik F, Steiner D, Starzer AM, Berghoff AS, Preusser M, Pabinger I, Ay C. (2024) “Bleeding events in patients with cancer: incidence, risk factors, and impact on prognosis in a prospective cohort study.” Blood, 27 August 2024, doi: 10.1182/blood.2024025362.
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