Are patients with cancer receiving adequate thromboprophylaxis? Results from FRONTLINE

Abstract

The FRONTLINE survey was designed in part to evaluate thromboprophylaxis regimens currently practised by clinicians worldwide for both surgical and medical patients with cancer. The survey showed that cancer patients undergoing surgery for their malignancy commonly receive thromboprophylaxis, but medical patients with cancer do not, with the exception of patients with a central venous catheter in place. Low-molecular-weight heparin is, overall, the most commonly used thromboprophylactic agent in cancer patients. Oral anticoagulants, however, are often used to prevent thrombosis in medical patients, and are the preferred agent in the USA. The duration of prophylaxis, when administered, is generally longer in medical patients compared with surgical patients. The perception of thrombosis risk for patients with central venous catheters is particularly high in North America where oral anticoagulants are used most commonly, in contrast to other geographical regions where low-molecular-weight heparin is favoured.