Cancer-Associated Thrombosis, With a Focus on Ischemic Heart Disease

Cancer is widely recognized as one of the major risk factors for thrombosis, and cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) is a concept that also encompasses arterial and venous thromboembolism. The risk factors for CAT of clinical concern are assumed to be a complex combination of patient-related factors, the cancer itself, factors related to anticancer therapy, tissue factors expressed on cancer cell membranes, and cytokines released by cancer cells to increase inflammation and coagulation at remote sites. In addition, some anticancer agents are known to damage vascular endothelial cells and cause thrombus formation; early diagnosis and treatment of CAT is recommended because CAT is a significant risk factor for poor prognosis in cancer patients.