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Cochrane on Cancer Testing in People with VTE
Cochrane; 2017 Aug 23; Robertson, Yeoh, et al
Testing for cancer in people with unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE) may detect cancer earlier, but it is uncertain if this approach impacts morbidity and mortality in patients with a first episode of VTE, according to a Cochrane review of 4 studies involving more than 1,600 individuals.
In 2 studies that compared extensive cancer testing with testing at the physician's discretion:
- Extensive testing had no effect on the number of cancer-related deaths, nor did it identify more people with cancer.
- Extensive testing did identify cancers ~10 months earlier.
- Cancers were less advanced in people who underwent extensive testing.
In 2 studies that compared tests/scanning with tests alone:
- Adding computed tomography scanning had little or no effect on the number of deaths, cancer-related deaths, or VTE-related illness.
- Additionally, it did not identify more people with cancer, nor did it show a clear difference in time to diagnosis or stages of cancer diagnosed.
Robertson L, Yeoh S, Stansby G, Agarwal R. Effect of testing for cancer on cancer- and venous thromboembolism (VTE)-related mortality and morbidity in people with unprovoked VTE. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2017, Issue 8. Art. No.: CD010837. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010837.pub3.