Cancer-Associated Thrombosis (CAT); mechanisms and treatment options

Cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT), especially venous thromboembolism (VTE), is the second highest cause of mortality in cancer patients, following the cancer itself. Notably, among patients with thrombosis, cancer is the most common underlying cause of death, highlighting the strong interrelationship between these conditions. Tumour cells primarily promote a prothrombotic environment through activation of procoagulant properties of the host cells. Additionally, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatments may amplify the thrombotic risk in cancer patients. Consequently, both arterial thromboses, including myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemic stroke (IS), and venous thrombosis, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), are significantly more prevalent among patients with malignancies. This review will discuss the association between cancer and thrombosis, illustrate the most common risk factors and discuss the direct and indirect molecular mechanisms involved.