Venous thromboembolism in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma: lower incidence in Asian ethnicity

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is one of the cancers most frequently associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE), with the varying incidences of 10%-20% reported in Western countries. Asians are known to have a lower risk for VTE than Caucasians, but few studies have been conducted regarding the incidence of VTE in Asian cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Incidence of radiologically confirmed VTE was assessed by review of medical records of all patients histologically diagnosed with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma, with follow-up conducted at a regional teaching hospital from Jun 2003 to Dec 2005. RESULTS: Seventy five patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma were identified for evaluation (M:F=44:31, locally advanced:metastatic=25:50, median age:67 years). Four patients (5.3%) developed VTE during median follow-up period of 124 days. Three of four patients had metastatic disease and were receiving chemotherapy when VTE developed. The mean time from cancer diagnosis to the detection of VTE was 160 days. No episodes of peripheral arterial thrombosis were detected, but three multiple cerebral infarctions occurred, which proved fatal in all three. Median survival time was shorter in patients with VTE than those without, but the difference was not statistically significant (4.3 vs 6.6 months). CONCLUSION: The incidence of VTE complications in Korean patients with advanced pancreatic cancer was 5.3%, which is lower than that observed in other ethnic groups. Our study warrants further prospective investigations on the incidence and mechanism of VTE and cerebral infarctions in cancer patients of different ethnic groups.