Outcomes for Epithelial Ovarian Cancers Diagnosed with Concomitant Venous Thromboembolism

Abstract

Background and Significance Most large studies on venous thromboembolism (VTE) incidence in gynecologic cancer focus on prevention and management of postoperative VTE. Treatment for preexisting VTE at the time of diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) includes careful risk assessments, weighing the benefits of debulking and risks of anticoagulation in the setting of a new VTE and new EOC diagnosis, respectively. We aimed to describe perioperative and cancer survival outcomes associated with concomitant diagnoses. Research Question To describe short‐term perioperative outcomes and overall survival (OS) among women who present with VTE at initial EOC diagnosis. Methods Women presenting with VTE within 30 days prior to EOC diagnosis between 1/2/2003 and 12/30/2011 who had primary debulking surgery (PDS) or chemotherapy (CT) alone were included. Descriptive statistics and the Kaplan‐Meier method were used to estimate OS from time of EOC diagnosis, with patient characteristics and process‐of‐care variables retrospectively abstracted. Results Of the 36 women with VTE within 30 days prior to EOC diagnosis, 28 (77.8%; mean age 64.2 years) underwent PDS and 8 (22.2%; mean age 61.4 years) received CT alone. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) was ≤2 in 85.7% (n=24) of PDS patients compared to 62.5% (n=5) of CT patients. Advanced stage (III/IV) disease was diagnosed in 71.4% (n=20) of PDS group; all CT patients were advanced stage. Among those who underwent PDS, 26 (92.9%) had a preoperative IVC filter placed; 1 (12.5%) in the CT group received an IVC filter. Perioperative bleeding complications were 7.2% in the PDS group. Within the PDS group, median OS was 25.6 months while the CT group had median OS of 4.5 months.ConclusionsPreoperative VTE in EOC patients can be safely managed with low rates of bleeding complications. Poor OS in CT group may reflect worse overall health or more aggressive cancer. Median OS was notably shorter than previously published; IVC filter utilization on oncologicoutcomes in EOC warrants further investigation.