Direct Oral Anticoagulants for Thromboprophylaxis in Ambulatory Patients with Cancer

Patients with cancer commonly have a venous thromboembolism during the course of their disease.1 Venous thromboembolism in these patients leads to a high risk of recurrence and bleeding related to anticoagulant therapy.2 Furthermore, venous thromboembolism exposes patients with cancer to the risk of interruption of cancer treatment and may lead to otherwise unnecessary hospitalization. For these reasons, prevention of venous thromboembolism in ambulatory patients with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy is of potential clinical value. In two large, randomized, placebo-controlled trials3,4 and a comprehensive meta-analysis,5 all involving ambulatory patients with different types of metastatic or locally advanced solid cancer who . . .